Here to Stay
by catcatcatcatcat
Summary: “She left without a trace, without a warning, she left. She’s left behind everything, everyone. She left behind nothing but sorrow and loneliness. No ones sure where she is now but one things for sure she’s gone forever. Forever. BUT SHE'S BACK...
1. The Forgotten Promise

Just a little story I wrote because I was bored (Who isn't nowadays?) If you don't like it --- four words for you: THAT'S YOUR STINKIN PROBLEM! If you do like it though --- like I said I really don't care. Now if you think I am a mushy person who just writes this stuff all the time than your wrong. If you don't believe me than allow me to say this: YOU HAVE A MUSHY HEAD! If you need proof than your not getting it. And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

**_Here to Stay_**

**Chapter One: The Forgotten Promise **

* * *

"She left without a trace, without a warning, she left. She's left behind everything, everyone. She left behind nothing but sorrow and loneliness. No ones sure where she is now but one things for sure---- she's gone forever. Forever. Forever we stay searching for ---"

"Isn't 'forever' a harsh word Ino? I mean she still might come back." Sakura cut in to Ino's little sermon.

"First of all 'forever' is not a harsh word and when did you become so optimistic? Ino looked at Sakura as if she was a demented happy elf. "And what do you mean 'she might come back'? She's been gone for two years and still she's missing. She even might be dead!" Ino said the last bit sadly.

"They haven't found a body yet." Sakura replied defensively.

"Yes I know, but you don't have to find a body to know that someone's dead."

"Are you saying you want her to be dead?"

"No Sakura but you have to face it---- it's been two years is there still hope that she's still alive?"

"Yes there is!"

"Fine then. Think what you think. Why don't we just have a minute of silence."

"That's for dead people though Ino."

"JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND BE QUIET!"

In Konaha all of the ninja of that generation suffered a terrible loss. A terrible loss indeed.

There was no teamwork now, now that she was gone there was no 'team' to work with. But still Gai-sensei insisted on training without her. And of course his remaining teammate, Lee, agreed--- he always did. As they both said word for word 'We must let the power of youth flourish and the only way to do that is to train! We must not let the disappearance of Tenten drag us down. We will train and hopefully she will come back!' And then there was a lot of hugging and their trademark sunset background came on.

_Hopefully? That hope disappeared with Tenten a long time ago. _Neji thought bitterly, _And yet they still insist on training for 'the power of youth' for no particular reason. Sure I would train but for the sake of just hoping Tenten would come back? I would say their pathetic but I should have said it two years ago. Unfortunately I did not. _He was now watching Lee try to… to… Ok so he didn't have a clue what the mini-me clone of Gai-sensei was trying to do but it involved mud, water and a lot of fish sticks crammed into the mouth.

"Lee what are you trying to do?"

"MRRFLGH! MRRGGFLGH! MRYGHERE!"

"What?"

"MRRFLGH! MRRGHYFLGHHMRY! MRYGHERE!"

"Spit out the fish sticks, I can't interpret what your saying."

"I CA MRRGLGH N'T!"

_Translation I CAN'T!_

Neji did not notice the translation so he is still very uninformed.

"Just spit them out. It's easy. God I wish Tenten were here to shake the sense into you." He instantly regretted the last sentence

Lee spat out the fish sticks. "I THOUGHT YOU SAID… blubber YOU SAID… blubber YOU PROMISED! BLUBBER" And this was followed by more blubbering and even more extensive crying.

"… What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday you promised you wouldn't say her name today. It was yesterday how could you have forgotten? Oh you're so cruel!"

"Oh that promise! No I don't remember making that promise."

"OH YOU'RE SO CRUEL!" Lee started beating his fists on the muddy ground which was currently littered with fish sticks.

Neji sweatdropped. _And I use to think him as 'different'. _He watched Lee squish a few more fish sticks and decided to leave him walk away. _I think he needs some time alone. A lot of time alone. _

"WAIT NEJI! I know how to prove how you actually promised. I have a witness!" Lee yelled as something poofed up.

That 'something' was Gai-sensei. And he happened to have poofed onto Lee's back. And now they are having a little conversation. (You probably know how it goes.)

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

And so on with the sunset background and all.

"Lee, Gai-sensei does not count as a witness. First of all he will agree to what you say no matter how wrong or right you are and vice-versa."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

"Fine if it's not true than tell me how are you one hundred percent sure Tenten will come back?"

Gai gasped. "YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T SAY HER NAME TODAY! YOU ARE SO CRUEL!"

Lee added. "DO FIVE THOUSAND PUSH-UPS THIS INSTANT!"

Neji stared at them. " No Lee I am not going to do five thousand pushups. And I repeat, I don't recognize making that promise."

"But yesterday you came up to us and said loud and clear, 'I will not say BEEP name tomorrow, the day she left.'" Gai was now crying with Lee. "AND TSUNADE WAS THERE TO WITNESS IT ALL!"

"You forget, I was trying to negotiate with one of her visiting ambassadors yesterday."

And thus another figure poofed up. (That would be Tsunade.) "There you are Neji. WHERE THE BEEP WERE YOU YESTERDAY!"

"Negotiating with one of your visiting ambassadors."

"DON'T LIE TO ME! YOU CAME UP TO GAI, LEE AND ME YESTERDAY WHEN YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN DOING THAT!"

"I have been trying to explain for the past half hour I did not come up to you three yesterday." Neji could feel his temper rising. "You can even ask your ambassador friend if you like."

"So your telling me while you were consulting with my visitor someone who looked exactly like you came up to Gai, Lee and me?"

"Yes."

"I deem that not possible. How could it be?"

"It's not that hard to do the art of transformation these days."

"Wait, how is that possible? If you were there and someone who mimicked you came here and than—this is too confusing…I NEED MY SAKE!"

* * *

This fanfic is going to continue if I ever get around to it. I'm not sure I'll even remember to continue it though sadly. But reviews are welcome. And if you don't like it than go eat a sandwich. -Shadoom 


	2. FOUND: One Lost Hope

I'm continuing this story while trying to get over the fact that I CAN'T WRITE! Your welcome to disagree though… If you agree… FEEL MY WRATH!!! (And you can go chase a seagull while you're at it.) But I won't care, I mean the sky isn't falling yet… right? And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

_**Here to Stay **_

_Chapter Two: FOUND: One Lost Hope _

After three hours of yelling, (Most of that from Tsunade.) arguing, (From Tsunade as well.) questions, (That was from Tsunade too.) interruptions, (Guess who?) and explaining (Now that was from Neji.) they have all calmed down.

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

See pretty normal isn't it?

"NEED SAKE…MUST GET SAKE…SAKE…"

Ok except for a sake deprived Tsunade it seems pretty calm.

"Ok you suckers I'm leaving. Glad that's settled. I NEED MY SAKE!" And lo she poofed off and you can now forget about her.

Now we are watching this new moment of madness.

"Neji I forgive you for breaking your promise. Now promise me you won't say her name again." Gai pleaded with Neji.

"First of all I did NOT promise anything. Second of all, get off the ground Lee." This was directed to Lee because he has gone back to wallowing in a combination of sorrow and muddy fish sticks. "And third of all--- Lee I said, GET OFF THE GROUND!"

Now Gai decided to cut in. "Well why would anybody in the right of their minds imitate you of all people? Why not me or Lee?"

Lee decided to join in. "Yeah why not me or Gai-sensei?"

Neji stared. "Why should they?"

Both of them yelled at Neji. "BECAUSE THE POWER OF YOUTH RESIDES WITHIN US!!!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

You know how the procedure works. They hug, Sunset background comes on and blah blah blah.

Neji sweatdropped. _Like I said--- They need a lot of time alone. Far away from each other. Very far from each other. _He started to walk away. And this time he actually managed to actually get away from the duo. (Amazing isn't it?) _They never change… But I also question myself, why did that person try and imitate me and then make such a promise? And how did they get away with it? Gai-sensei may act like a weird and crazy person but he knows my personality. And only three people could achieve that. Lee, Gai-sensei and --- Nah, change three to two. It couldn't have been Tenten. _But inside there was that nagging feeling that was eating away._ Or could it have? _He quickly dismissed the thought. "Not possible." He muttered this aloud to himself as he walked up the path.

_**BACK AT THE HYUGA COMPOUND**_

Neji is now trying to murder time because it runs too slow. Much too slow. _ARGH!!! Life is boring. I'm going to have to do something before I restrain myself from killing someone. _This had happened before and he had tried to kill someone in the process. Luckily they were just barely saved. Just barely. _It seems as if before that I needed time and now I have too much of it. What did I do before to keep myself occupied by not killing people? _Neji was now trying to figure this out. Sparring was the first thing that came to his mind. He sighed. It seemed as if Tenten had ripped a chunk from his life and replaced it with a huge blank space that he had no clue what to do with. No really what was he going to do with that white, empty canvas? Doodle on it? He pondered over this for quite some time when he felt something whistle by his ear and heard the gentle thunk of a kunai connecting with wood. He turned and saw the kunai sticking exactly in the center of the doorknob. _Whoever threw this has excellent marksmanship. That could have hit my head, lucky me. _It was then when he noticed the pieceof paper stuck on the end of the kunai. _I wonder what this is. _He thought as he started reading the dusty scrawl slightly grimacing at the messiness. _Though they have very poor printing. Just like Tenten. _He smiled at the thought of this.

_Dear Neji,_

_ I am still alive if you thought I was dead like some of my faithful friends. Ha ha, I can actually picture you grimacing at my handwriting right now. You probably have many questions on why I was supposedly 'dead' for two years and now I am miraculously alive again. Sorry but I can't answer your questions at the moment. Just wanted to let you know I'm still alive._

_ -Tenten_

_P.S. I'm staying in Konoha_.

Neji stood there staring at the piece of paper not yet fully digesting the impact it had on him. Yes that piece of paper hit him harder than a punch, unbelievable isn't it? He wasn't sure what was going on at the moment. And then the message pounded itself in his mind, permanently engraving itself there.

Tenten was back.

* * *

Yes I finally managed to lug my butt to the keyboard and type out another chapter. You cannot believe how much effort it takes to press a key while thinking up the story. Yes you monkeys, I don't write a rough draft. Too much of a hassle through my eyes. And yes you monkeys, I REMEMBERED! Now you must know that when I said 'reviews are welcome' I meant _positive_ reviews. Not that anyone has given me a negative one yet. Just making sure. And if you plan on giving me one than go lick a cactus. –Shadoom 


	3. Gypsy Grudges

Have I chased you people away with my n00bish behavior? Or is it just because I called you people monkeys? If I offended anyone by doing so than I really do apologize. And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

_**Here to Stay**_

_Chapter Three: Gypsy Grudges_

_P.S. I'm staying in Konoha._

Those four words echoed through Neji's mind over and over again. _What in the world is going on? _Ok so Tenten wasn't dead but why?

You probably have many questions on why I was supposedly 'dead' for two years and now I am miraculously alive again. Sorry but I can't answer your questions at the moment.

The rest of the letter slowly came back to him. _Is this the real thing? Or is it just a practical joke? _Neji thought about this. _What are the possibilities? _He shook his head. _I need some fresh air. _When he walked out the doors he was hit with the smell of a dead, well, _thing_ that was being roasted. _Not that much fresh air but it will do. _As he walked around Konoha he found out that the smell was all over the village and it _STANK_!

"H-h-hello N-n-neji Kun." Neji looked up and saw Hinata smiling shyly at him.

"Hello Hinata. WHAT IS THIS STINKIN SMELL?" Neji is half crazed by this odor so please excuse his rudeness.

Hinata now a bit scared that Neji had yelled at her decided it was best to reply. "W-well I think it's the g-gypsies. T-their back in town and you know they like eating odd things like s-skunks and all t-that."

"Where are they?" Neji asked as calmly as he could.

"W-why?"

"BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET RID OF EITHER THE FOOD OR THE GYPSIES _AND_ THEIR STINKIN FOOD!" And again please excuse his rudeness.

**AT THE GYPSY CAMP**

"What do you mean you won't stop roasting opossums?" Neji very angrily asked the fortune teller/ gypsy.

The gypsy like Hinata thought it was best to answer him. "First of all their not _opossums_, their _ferrets _and secondly we're not roasting them we're _toasting_ them." The gypsy punctuated every few words with a spray of spit so Neji is covered in a lot of spit. "Also _we're_ not the ones roasting them----" She turned and pointed at two _very_ familiar figures, "_They_ are."

Neji felt his eye twitch as he walked over to those two _very_ familiar figures. _I wonder who those two are… I honestly do. _Neji thought to himself sarcastically. "WHY ARE YOU TWO ROASTING OPPOSSUMS?"

"Neji how wonderful of you to visit us!"

"Yes now we can eat these rodents together so our youth and friendship will blossom like a lotus!"

Three guesses on who those familiar figures are. And the first one doesn't count.

"Gai, Lee you have not answered my question. WHY ARE YOU ROASTING FERRETS?"

"Neji we are not _roasting_. " Lee piped up.

"We're _toasting_!" Gai corrected.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE ON THE METHOD?"

"But we are!" Gai and Lee chorused together.

_Deep breaths… deep breaths. _Neji struggled to keep himself from pummeling the duo.

Now a hooded gypsy girl came out of one of the caravans, "Look could you guys shut up or else go jump off a cliff? Either way I'm getting some peace and quiet. And if you don't I'll be forced to cut your tongues out… at that will not be pleasant… trust me on that."

Gai and Lee hugged each other in fear. Neji just stared, "You'd actually cut our tongues out?"

"I've done it before and I can do it again." She turned to face Neji, "You're a Hyuga aren't you?"

"No I'm an Uchiha… of course I'm a Hyuga!"

"AYE! The only one who uses sarcasm in my presence is me, myself and I," She flicked Neji in the head, "Not you."

Gai has now as decided to defend his student. "Well isn't it obvious that he's a Hyuga? He has white eyes after all!"

"Yeah! That's right!" Lee decided to be 'manly' and gave the gypsy girl one of his giant smiles.

The gypsy girl just decided to ignore Lee, "You don't have to have white eyes to be a Hyuga." She took down the hood revealing long black hair with bleached blue tips and a pair of white eyes.

The three stared, Gai decide to yell out the thought they were all thinking, "OMG… YOU'RE A HYUGA! Right?"

"No not right. I'm not a Hyuga. Okay you want the truth?" When they all nodded she continued, "This isn't my real eye color…" She rubbed her eyes a few times turning her pupils a sharp gold, "I just like to fool around with my eye color. Now since you're a Hyuga you're going to deliver a message for me."

"Why would I do that?"

"BECAUSE I SAID SO!"

"Ok…" Neji agreed even though he felt a bit uneasy about her request.

"Tell Neji Hyuga that when I find him he is so dead."

"Umm… and who is this from?"

"Me."

"And who are you?"

"Ugh… Cynara Ibara."

"And why are you going to kill me?"

"Eight years ago…"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"Eight years ago the gypsies came…"

"Uh… no?"

"Eight years ago the gypsies came and you…"

"Yes?"

"YOU ALMOST DROWNED ME BY DUMPING A BUCKET OF WATER ON ME!"

"Ohh…" The memory was slowly coming back to Neji. "But that was so long ago!" He wrinkled his forehead thinking about this. "How would you remember something that was so long ago?"

"Hyuga… gypsies can hold very, I repeat _very_ long grudges."

"Um… ok?"

"Now go shoo off you three before I grow impatient of playing with you."

Gai and Lee 'shooed' off immediately not wanting to find out what Cynara would do when she grew impatient. Neji decided it was best to leave now since the ferret was off the fire.

Cynara yelled after them. "AND TAKE YOUR KIZEN FERRET WITH YOU!" She hurled the roasted, I mean 'toasted', ferret at them aiming at Lee. It hit a passing seagull. Now you know she not only can hold _very_ long grudges but that also she has _very_ bad aim.

"YOUR AIM IS WORSE THAN EVER CYNARA!" Was the hollered reply.

* * *

I'm sorry if you're angry with me for taking so long to write this chapter but I twisted my ankle and now it's swelling up to the size of a chicken head. Oh and one last note: I AM NOT EMO. -Shadoom 


	4. The Price Of Information

There is nothing to talk about… life is boring… I think I'll go do something…like finish chapter four… and oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO. That is all.

* * *

**_Here to Stay_**

_Chapter Four: The Price of Information_

"Ugh…" Cynara hoisted herself on to the top of her caravan, "Life sucks… first I find Neji Hyuga _half dead_ so I can't kill him, and then I find two bastards outside my caravan toasting a ferret! Ugh… the smell is still here. Must go find my cousin… She'd probably help me… I wonder where she is… Come to think of it, where is she?" Cynara thought about this until morning light when someone slipped in. Cynara relaxed when she saw who it was, "Cousin!"…

THE NEXT DAY 

Neji Hyuga decided to actually find the two green beasts A.K.A. Gai and Lee and drill into their heads not to toast ferrets. After that little lecture that went on for approximately half an hour Neji found out he had wasted his time. The duo went straight for the gypsy camp talking. This is how their conversation went:

LEE: Let's go roast some ferrets today!

GAI: Excellent idea Lee! Let's go right now!

LEE: Gai sensei what do you think Neji was talking about back there?

GAI: I think it had to do with fires… Yes definitely! Neji was telling us about fire safety!

LEE: How kind of him to worry about us!

GAI: Yes so we'll have to be extra careful with the fire this time.

GAI & LEE: REMEMBER ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES!

And after that we lost them because all the innocent bystanders were shocked and decided to turn away and trample poor Neji. Lucky him. When Neji came to (Approximately five minutes) the smell of a dead ferret floated from the gypsy camp to his nose. _This smell is horrendous! At least I'm not Kiba… his life must suck. Ah well might as well go and get rid of the smell… AGAIN! _At least he knew the way to the gypsy camp now…

As Neji was walking over a trail of discarded …um, well… _bones _that led to the gypsy camp, the smell of a roasted ferret suddenly stopped. He saw Lee and Gai hurtle out of the camp, "AND STAY OUT!!!" He heard Cynara scream after the two. As he walked toward the twitching bodies of Gai and Lee he saw that an over roasted ferret had been stuffed into Lee's mouth.

"… I think I'll help you up because you're on the ground. But I shouldn't really since you didn't listen to me. But since I'm such a nice person…" Neji started to walk away on the bone path, "I'll just leave you here." He walked up to a dead looking caravan and knocked.

"NO ONE'S HOME!!!"

"Really?"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT HYUGA?"

"Information."

Cynara opened the door staring at him with disgust. "You smell like dead ferret. And information comes with a price if you wanted to know."

Neji sighed, "How much?"

"Depends on what you want to know."

"Have you seen Tenten?"

"No I haven't seen my cousin I thought she was in Konoha. Why?"

"She's your cousin?" Neji asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Now fork over fifty bucks in cash."

"WHAT?" Now it was Neji's turn to yell.

"Since you're a friend I'll knock off two cents." Cynara said reasonably.

"Are all gypsies as cheap as you are?"

"No their worse… Much worse… You should see their table manners at dinnertime… Horrifying."

"Look give me a bit more information and I will fork over the cash."

"You'll want to add twenty five dollars into the pile." Cynara eyed Neji like a cat.

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"Because you want me to tell the truth, don't you?"

"You'd lie?"

"Without a doubt."

"FINE!"

"Touchy. Tsk. Okay Tenten is in town."

"I knew that."

"She came to visit me this morning to talk about some things. Poor girl is a bit confused on what's going on. "

"Why would she visit you?" Neji asked rudely.

"Because I'm her cousin duh. Personally I don't know why she doesn't know what's happening, I mean she's lived in this town for the past few years hasn't she?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

"Now why would I tell you?"

"TELL ME." Cynara glared at him.

"Well information does come with a price as you say…" Neji said slyly.

"Ugh… You know what, I am NOT in the mood for smart mouths like you today. I don't have to get the information from you. I can ask any one of your classmates. Or I could ask Tenten if she chooses to drop by…" Cynara smirked, "You see, I unlike you am smart."

"I'd say you unlike me are a scrooge."

"Ah well who cares?" Cynara smiled at Neji as she slammed the door shut. Neji was about to leave when Cynara opened the door again. "I almost forgot. She said to give this to you if you came by. She handed him an envelope. "Now go shoo off." She slammed the door shut again this time though she slammed a few quite a few leaves off the roof of her caravan.

_Dear Neji,_

_Cynara can be trusted. And I wrote this in case you were wondering, not Cynara. Her handwriting is much better than mine. I'm glad you're on Cynara's friendly terms—_Neji snorted at this. ---_she's a great friend to have. But she won't be able to answer your questions. She's very blunt and clever. Don't tell her I said this but she's a bit of a cheapskate. To stay on her good terms whatever you do don't pour water on her. You don't want to know what happens._

_-Tenten_

_P.S. She can be trusted even though she lies a bit._

Neji stared at the paper. This was no practical joke.

IN CYNARA'S CARAVAN 

"Tenten you can stay here for the while but why don't you want your teammate to know you're here?"

"Not now Cynara, not now."

* * *

WHOO HOO! I finished it in an hour! I'm sugar high now! Ok now life is boring again… Someone please help me and make me laugh… Please. -Shadoom 


	5. Hunger of the Plants

Why do people say 'pull my finger'? Are you supposed to fart or something? As I was explaining this, my friend heard it as 'after you pull the finger _off _your supposed to fart'. I was laughing so hard… such funniness… but it's not funny anymore… I'M BORED… SO BORED. And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

**_Here to Stay_**

**Chapter Five: Hunger of the Plants… **

Neji was very, very frustrated. Wonder why? No it's not the most probable answer of Gai and Lee driving him insane. No it was not that he lost seventy-five dollars in cash to Cynara. It was more on the following lines of 'because of Tenten'. Now wasn't that sad. The mighty Neji was frustrated because he had no clue where in the wide world Tenten was and he could feel as if someone was trying to mock him. He could also feel people staring at him because he must seem very mad while clenching his fists and talking to himself. As he walked through the streets of Konoha he could feel something watching him. Something that wasn't human or animal like but full of power. _Konoha has a lot of plants that I never noticed before. _Neji thought to himself.

XXXXX

Cynara smiled to herself. So far so good and it would stay that way if he kept on ignoring her little friends. Heh. They called her the swamp ninja/gypsy for a reason. Plants were great especially for espionage and assassin jobs. Where do you think the bone path was from? She laughed quietly. Her ferocious plants were getting quite hungry… hungry for blood and soul. She mentally slapped herself, NO she must not stray off task! She couldn't kill… not yet anyways… but her plants could have a little snack…

XXXXX

Neji was growing quite uneasy. Those plants were starting to get on his nerves. Just a few minutes ago he had heard a yelp and when he turned around he saw a dead deer within a thicket of bloody thorns. The deer was not small but it wouldn't be growing any bigger--- not in that lifetime. And what was _really _disgusting was that the branches poked the eyes out first after the blood was sucked dry. Neji watched in horrified fascination as the plants slowly devoured the carcass. Then the plants slithered away leaving only bones in their wake. Seeing that the plants were now done their meal and that there was nothing to look at, Neji decided to walk on. But when he looked through the corner of his eye he could see the withered plants slowly stalking him from behind. _I'll just ignore them. If they do threaten me I'll uh…_ What could he do against plants? _Against plants you need fire… In times like these I wish I was Uchiha. _He decided that since the plants weren't indicating they were going to harm him he would walk on slowly. Then he stopped. Apparently the plants didn't want to him to go any further after witnessing their little meal. In front of him was a stone wall and vines were creeping up to spell a word: 'HUNGRY'. Then the plants advanced. Neji decided to run away from the vicious mob of vegetation. HOLY COW!!! WHY WERE THEY CHASING HIM???

Now picture the moment. Neji is running from a tide of shrubbery that is five times his height. Lee was watching the moment as well. "What are you doing Neji?" He asked.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?"

"Why are you running from the innocent plant life?"

"INNOCENT? IT'S TRYING TO EAT ME!"

"Okay…" Lee started to walk away.

"WHAT!!! YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE ME HERE?"

"Yes. Just like you left me earlier on today. I'm just trying to be a nice person Neji…" Lee threw him a huge grin and a thumbs up. "Keep up the good work!"

"ARGH!!!" Neji determined that Lee was now not worth his time and that the 'innocent' plant life was coming close to their lunch. Unfortunately.

Neji ran. The plants did not relent on their chase, to Neji's great dismay it seemed as if weeds were growing out of wooden stands and joining the fun. Unfortunately.

XXXXX

Somewhere in Konoha Cynara cursed herself loudly. She said they could have a snack, but not in the open! Now they were completely out of control, thinking bloodthirsty thoughts on how to poke a shish kabob through Neji! Ugh… that was the thing with plants. You gave them an order, if it was concerning a meal they would carry it out immediately. If not they would take the precious time to dawdle about! "Why dear god, couldn't I have an easier life and have bloodthirsty plants that could think smartly?" Cynara was now banging her head on a wall muttering curses. "I have no choice… I'll have to let him fend for himself for the while…"

XXXXX

Neji is still running. Now let me put this simply… he is human, the plants are, well… of course, not. The plants have no lungs therefore they have endless stamina… Neji has lungs and therefore…does not. Now it's Neji's bad luck that Gai and Lee are at the moment not roasting ferrets… if they had there would have been a nice, stinky fire to help protect Neji…but there isn't. So Neji continued running. _GOD!!! BYAKAGUN DOESN'T WORK ON THESE CANNIBALLISTIC PLANTS!!! _That was true. He had tried and he had failed miserably. Something started dragging him slowly… _Please let it not be a plant… please… _To his relief it was a human hand. And that hand was towing him into a shop. Looking up he saw that the person wore a hood. _Okay… Maybe not so good… _

As soon as Neji and his, uh, savior was in the shop the person turned towards Neji as they lowered the hood, "What did you do to get Cynara this mad at you? She normally doesn't send a battalion of plants at someone even if she's mad!" The person whispered furiously at Neji while lighting a candle.

Neji tried to make out who was whispering and nearly dropped dead away when he figured out who it was. Instead his mouth dropped open.

His savior was Tenten.

* * *

I know my kind of writing sucks and my grammar sucks more than my writing skills. If you have died because of my grammar than please contact me as soon as possible. And I do not want any backtalk from you Paige… at least I can spell…–Shadow of doom. A.K.A. Shadoom 


	6. Green, Goldfish,More Green to be Seen

HELP! I'M DROWNING IN HOMEWORK! GAH!!! Ok I'll stop now. Sorry about that and not writing for so long… I have just had the worst case of writers block… and also as seen above, I am officially drowning in homework. And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

_**Here to Stay**_

_Chapter Six:_ _Green, Goldfish and More Green to be Seen_

Neji stared with his mouth open… Tenten was alive and standing in front of him… He tried to say something but apparently in the end looked like he was trying to imitate a goldfish.

"I suggest you apologize to Cynara before it's too late…"

Again Neji imitated the great legendary goldfish from Konoha River. **(A/N I don't know where that came from…)**

Tenten looked at Neji, not amused. "What are you waiting for me to do? Punch a few teeth out of your mouth? Because I will if you leave your mouth open like that."

With that Neji regained some sense as he weakly asked, "What do you mean 'before it's too late'?"

"Uh… you haven't noticed yet have you? We're in a wooden shack."

Neji paled and instantly lost his normal calm exterior as he remembered his current situation. "OMG!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?"

For those of you who don't know what is going on. The evil plants that want to toast Neji include trees… wood trees.

"First of all calm down. Second of all go apologize to Cynara and than everything will be okay."

"Go to Cynara to apologize? I'm sorry but if you haven't noticed yet there's a WALL of plants out there that want to devour me!"

"Is it just me or is it that the great Hyuga Neji is afraid of a couple of plants?"

"…Hn" Neji regained some of his superior stance.

"Okay if you're going to start ignoring me than I'll just push you out of this little hovel. Alone."

"Don't. Even. Think. About. It. You have been warned."

"Okay than on the count of three we charge straight to Cynara's caravan… fast."

Neji stared at her as if there was something wrong with her but seeing as he did not have any other choice he agreed.

"One…"

XXXXX

Cynara wrung her hands… "WhatamIgonnado? It's been at least an hour and I don't think he's alive… You know what I'm going to look through the trunk Aunt Thorn left me." Note: It has only been fifteen minutes but seeing that Cynara has no sense of time…

XXXXX

"Three." Tenten flung open the door and they followed the plan which was to run to Cynara's caravan. If that didn't work there was always plan B… which was to run for their lives… And there was no plan C…

Fifteen minutes later 

As Neji and Tenten neared the caravan Neji suddenly asked. "Is this a good time?"

"I don't care what time it is!" Tenten panted back.

Suddenly the caravan rocked as something exploded inside.

"I ask again. Is this a good time?"

"I reply again… I DON'T CARE!!!" Tenten pounded on the door.

And again something exploded. But bigger and louder this time.

"Sounds like someone' having a temper tantrum inside… And it is not a good time for that…" Neji stated as he watched at the nearing mob of green.

A disheveled Cynara answered the door. "WHADDAYA WANT?"

"CALL OFF YOUR PLANTS!!!" Neji and Tenten yelled back.

Cynara stared at Neji. "You're still alive? Unbelievable. Sorry can't help you."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T HELP US?"

" Well you see I kind of lost control of them a while back so…" She let the sentence trail.

Tenten looked as if she was going to hurl herself at Cynara. "CALL. THEM. OFF. NOW."

"Tenten you're scaring me and I told you… I can't!"

"You don't want me angry…" Tenten responded with a murderous glint in her eyes.

"Okay, okay. Geeze… But if I get eaten remember… IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"

"It's called survivors guilt…"

"Whatever just stand back."

"I'm trusting you…"

Cynara shook her head as she stepped toward the mass of plants in front of her. She glared at them. They stopped their ongoing march forward and seemed to glare back. " I don't care if I just cheated you of a free meal… Back off." The plants decided to ignore Cynara and began to proceed again. It seemed as if Cynara just turned very mad. Cynara clenched her fists.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "She's going to do exactly what?"

"I think she's going to fight the plants…"

"So she was the source of this mess in the first place?"

"Yeah pretty much."

"Oh I see… Do you think she has some tea in her caravan? I suddenly have a craving for tea."

"I don't know. Let's go check."

And they went inside the caravan to find some tea. What greeted them was a scene of utter chaos. There was shattered glass all over the place and there seemed to be an unsettling purple vapor in the air…

"AYE!!! Nice friends you are! Leaving me alone to do your dirty work! I should get paid for this… Honestly…" Cynara enter the caravan. "Sorry about the mess… I had an… encounter with a … wild beast…"

Tenten looked up from her tea. "What kind of wild beast? And would you like to have some tea?"

"… First you leave me to kill plants and than you raid my caravan? Nice… But yes I would like some tea."

Neji looked up as well. "Well? What kind of wild beast was in here?"

"The worst kind available…"

"And that would be?"

"A little kid…" Cynara shuddered. "Wild little things…"

Neji and Tenten just stared at Cynara. The only sounds that could be heard was Cynara calmly sipping tea. Finally Tenten decided to speak, "Uh… okay. So what exactly happened?"

"Nothing much. A few things exploded and that's probably it. I trust that everything's settled between you and Neji?"

Tenten stared at Cynara. "What do you mean settled?"

"You're telling me he wasn't the least bit curious about you magically reappearing after disappearing?"

"I'm right here you know." Neji told them not liking to be ignored.

Cynara gave him the hand. "But you're not in this conversation."

Tenten ignoring the little conversation decided to answer Cynara's question. "He hasn't mentioned the subject yet so I don't think he's interested…"

"I didn't mention the subject because we were being chased by killer plants!"

Cynara still giving Neji the hand looked at Neji. "You have been excluded from this conversation. Remember?"

She turned to face Tenten who had started to talk again. "And he was imitating a fish earlier on so…"

"I see… hmm…"

Neji now almost giving up all hope just noticed something. "Cynara?"

"WHAT?"

"You look a bit… green."

It was true Cynara's hands were turning a brilliant shade of emerald green and so were her eyes. The blue tips of her hair had faded in to a pale green as well. Cynara staring at her hands quite oddly started muttering to herself. "Must have been something in the trunk… or else I'm suddenly getting an allergic reaction to little kids…" She then turned to the two former teammates. "I suggest you leave, this might be catching…"

* * *

I finally overcame the wall… BWAHAHAHA to you writers block!!! This chapter I think was a bit of a filler. (That's what's going through my head right now.) I hate little kids too… Cynara shares my pain… ARRGH!!! Unhappy memories of little kids…- Shadoom 


	7. The Conscience Speaks

I NEED HONEST TO GOD HELP! Okay the truth is I don't. **CONSCIENCE:** _Don't lie to you're nice readers… _Fine, fine… but it's humiliating… Today we were tested on our physical health and uh… I did… zero sit-ups. Yes zero… Don't laugh… I said DON'T LAUGH… STOP LAUGHING!!! And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

_**Here to Stay**_

_Chapter Seven: The Conscience Speaks _

As Tenten and Neji left the Cynara's caravan behind, so that Cynara could deal with her little problem, an unnatural silence came up. For those of you in Lala Land and don't know what an unnatural silence is, it's when you're with another person and both of you don't know what to say. Walking with someone and not saying anything is _strange_ especially when it's someone who you were really close to… that's what was happening with Neji and Tenten.

Finally Tenten being a normally chatty person decided to end the, uh, complex emotion. " You're not even curious about why I left?"

Neji suddenly surprised that the normalness had ended. (He's one of those people who think walking in silence is normal.) "Should I be?"

"Uh…"

Neji looked at Tenten as if her head had just been blown off. "Tenten you disappear for _two years,_ most of us thought you were _dead, _Lee and Gai being ever faithful _tortured _me everyday and you're asking me if I'm curious why you left?"

"Uh…"

"Do you think I'm curious at all?"

"Uh… no?"

Neji glared at her. "…"

"WELL? ARE YOU?"

"…"

"Stop saying '…' it's not even a word!"

"…"

"You're giving me the creeps."

"…"

"Just tell me…" Tenten exasperated finally gave in.

"… What do you think?"

"I TOLD YOU!!! NO!!!"

"…"

"Don't even start…"

"Hn…"

"You know what? I'm leaving." Tenten said as she stalked off in the opposite direction.

Neji continued to walk along silently, when suddenly…

YOU COMPLETE IDIOT!!!

_Who are you, what are you doing in my head and why are you calling me an idiot? _

YOU IDIOT!!! I'm your conscience…

_You still haven't answered my question… _

Ugh… I'm your conscience… I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN YOUR HEAD YOU IDIOT!!!

_… I meant the question 'why are you calling me an idiot' you idiot? _

You do know you just called your self an idiot right? And I'm calling you an idiot because you were just and still are acting like one.

…

YOU WOULDN'T…"

…

OMG… HE'S GIVING ME THE SILENT TREATMENT! HELP ME!!!

OMG… MY CONSCIENCE IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER DOBE THAT IS ACTING VERY HYPER!

I AM NOT!

Neji sweatdropped at this, _So how was I acting like an idiot again? _

You're telling me you don't know?

_No… if I knew would I be asking? _

True… let's see, where should I start?

_The beginning would help… _

Okay… when you were around six you tried to beat up---

_I meant as in the beginning of this situation… _

Oh. Well why don't you want to know why Tenten left?

_I do… _

Then why didn't you say you did?

_…Are you my psychologist? _

No I'm your conscience…

_So how does not saying what I think make me an idiot? _

So you admit it…

_Admit what? _

That underneath your heartless ice cubish exterior you're really a person who can't even voice his own feelings…which makes you an idiot.

_That's not true… _

Do you like Tenten?

The question, so out of the blue, caught Neji off guard… especially since it was from his conscience. _WHAT THE BEEP! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? _

I dunno. Just felt like asking, that's all. Now answer my question.

_…No… _

Are you sure?

_…Yes… _

One hundred percent sure?

_… Yes… _

As in absolutely, positively sure?

_Get off my case will you… _

AHA! YOU LIKE HER!

Neji about to protest thought to himself. _What am I doing other than acting like a complete fool talking to my so-called conscience…_

That hurt you know…

And then it started to rain…

Not only are you acting like a complete and utter fool you're also talking to your so-called conscience in the rain…

_Stuff it… _

Walking home in the rain is not pleasant… In fact just walking in the rain is unpleasant… and it's much worse with if your conscience is nagging you the entire time…

You do know if you continue to walk in the rain like that you are going to catch a cold… or even worse…

_You're awfully chatty to be my conscience… _

Yeah well I am so you're going to have to live with it idiot …

_I'm not an idiot… _

So why do you like Tenten?

_WHAT! _Again his 'so-called' conscience had caught him with his pants down.

Not that I'm saying she's unattractive or anything… just asking, after all I am your conscience…

_Who said I liked her in the first place? _

Um… you did…

_No I didn't. _

So let me guess… you like Cynara.

_… IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY CONSCIENCE!!! _

GAH! Jeez I was just asking. No need to yell at me…

_That is just disgusting… _

Okay, okay I get your point…

_You do? _

Yes… you like Tenten.

_You're hopeless…just totally hopeless. Why can't you drill through your thick head that I do NOT like Tenten? _

I'm not hopeless it's just that…

_What? _

It's just that you… SUCK AT LYING!!!

_Silence fool. _

And apparently you know it…

_SILENCE FOOL! _

… YOU FILTHY STINKING LIAR!!!

_You see that cliff over there? _

Uh… yeah, why?

_If you do not shut your mouth I will go up there and jump off. Yes…you are that annoying… _

GASP! YOU'RE SUICIDAL?

_No. Now will you please shut up? _

And that was the end of that conversation.

* * *

I finally finished chapter seven. I have some very good reasons to post this up late. 1. I got grounded for the entire week. 2. I went to see the musical, Wicked ©. 3. I got caught with the game Lunar Legend ©. 4. I needed inspiration for my RPG character. Anyways that's all so I hope you all can forgive me. -Shadoom 


	8. The Need for Aspirin

NOOO! I HAVE BEEN PUSHED OFF MY THRONE! My title has been given to some, some BRAT! Yes the title of being the youngest kid of the grade is no longer mine… And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

* * *

Here to Stay 

_Chapter Eight: The Need for Aspirin_

**You're really self-centered, you know that?**

_Didn't I tell you to shut up?_

**You did.**

_So why aren't you shutting up?_

**Because I don't have to duh. Why?**

_Well just so you know, there's a cliff nearby…_

**NO! I'm sorry! I really am! I'll stop! Just don't throw yourself off the face of the earth because you're so idiotic!**

_Thank you. I think…_

**But just so you know, you're self-centered…**

_SHUT UP!_

**Did you blow a fuse? Because if you did than you need some aspirin…**

… _I'm ignoring you._

**SEE WHAT I MEAN?**

In case you were wondering this conversation has been going on since Neji got inside. And it is made up from total random stuff. The cycle is simple really. His conscience would make a remark about Neji and than Neji would tell it to shut it's pie hole and it wouldn't.

And now Neji is wishing he had a bottle of aspirin just like his conscience suggest earlier on. Now don't get me wrong, Neji does have a bottle of aspirin but he had already tried to find it and apparently it had magically floated out the window and into who knows where.

**You're also really stupid you know…**

Neji ignored his conscience and started thinking. Since Cynara's caravan was only big enough for one person to live in it was only common sense that Tenten was not staying there. But if that was the case, where was Tenten staying? He knew Cynara would be willing to tell him for a price but at the moment he had other problems. Namely the one yapping in his mind like a madman.

**You do know that I can read your thoughts right?**

Focusing on the main problem Neji stared out the window.

**And it's not going to help if you keep ogling into oblivion you stupid, self-centered fool!**

_What are you going to do about it?_

**HMMPH! I was going to go suggest something but since the great and mighty Neji seems to be SO smart I guess my idea is worthless and he can handle the situation ON HIS OWN!**

Neji winced, apparently his conscience learned how to yell. Where was that bottle of aspirin when he really needed it?

**Oh and go ask Cynara for a bottle of aspirin. My, well your, how about _our_ head is killing _us_.**

_I wonder why. I really do._

**Just go find Cynara and some aspirin. It feels like the last time someone tried to, uh my bad, _did _beat you up.**

_Pardon me?_

**Just ignore me.**

_Finally a good idea…_

Neji decided to listen to his conscience and headed out the door. What it said was true… Cynara would have an aspirin due to the fact that she was the one turning green…

ON THE BONE PATH 

Neji was being cautious this time with the greenery on the path… he didn't like the way it was, well, _looking_ at him. "I have matches, just so you know…" he told them warily. The plants diminished quickly. _At least I won't have to worry about them anymore…_

I know… they were chasing you like maniacs… 

_Ignoring…_

BUT THEY WERE! 

_Ignoring…big time…_

As his conscience started to nag him he reached the doorway of, the aspirin giver, Cynara. And after knocking for around twelve minutes the door fell down two inches from Neji. Lucky him.

"Watch it! The door hinges are a bit old so the door may fall on you." Cynara called somewhere in the caravan.

**Ha ha you found out the hard way! **

_Fool. At least it didn't fall on us…_

**GASP! Is it just me or did the self-centered yet foolish Neji Hyuga just say the u-word? **

_What?_

**The u-word is 'us'…**

_You make no sense._

Now the arguing grew louder and the need for aspirin grew as well. As Neji picked through the clutter in the room he suddenly noticed a very _odd_ thing. "Cynara, why do you have weapons all over the place and why are they coated with fungus?"

"Eh?" Cynara appeared from another room, "Oh the weapons… er… I'm looking for something and I can't seem to find it. And then I thought to myself, 'Oh well might as well get it over with and coat them with poison while I'm at it!'"

"Oh… I see." Neji found that Cynara was still very green and very disturbing. It seemed as if her hair turned different shades of green over night so she kind of looked like a green zebra.

"Now why are you here? And it's rude to stare…"

Neji quickly averted his gaze, "Oh yes! Do you have any aspirin?"

"Well uh…"

"What?"

"Well the aspirin is the item that I can't find…"

"… You're joking right?"

"Nope. Dead serious…"

**OH LIFE IS SAD. AND PAINFUL.**

_Would you please shut up?!_

**No…**

"Grrr… WOULD YOU, THE ALL MIGHTY FOOL, STOP IGNORING ME?"

"Wh-what?"

"… You are a complete and utter failure Neji Hyuga. A failure I tell you…"

"Well since you don't have any aspirin than I guess I'll leave."

**NO. **

_What do you mean 'no'?_

Don't you want to know what Tenten is up to? Don't you like her? 

… _Leave me alone._

"Cynara?"

"I thought you were leaving, oh greatly feared Hokage, because I, the humble shop keeper, did not stock up on aspirin."

"Well really, what do you know about Tenten?"

Cynara looked at him with disbelief. "You are her teammate… you tell me."

"Honestly."

"Why? Do you like her?" A sly look suddenly appeared in her currently spring green eyes.

"WHAT THE---- HOW DID YOU COME TO THAT CONCLUSION?"

"… Oh I see… when she disappeared you cheated on her right?"

"WHAT THE? WHERE DO YOU GET THIS STUFF?"

"I get it from the all powerful fortune telling empty aspirin jar."

"That settles it… I'm leaving." Neji walked out the caravan using the fallen door to use as a ramp since the stairs were rotting anyways…

_She's worse than you!_

**Tell me about it…**

_She need's honest to god help…_

**I second that motion…**

_Finally! We agree!_

**Who knew that all it took was one crazy gypsy and her all powerful fortune telling empty aspirin jar…**

_Oh no… not you too._

* * *

How long can YOU spin? Oh and turn on the volume. If you're a Bleach fan maybe you can guess who's spinning the leek -Shadoom. 


	9. The Need for Aspirin: ENDED

I would forgive you… BUT I CAN'T! HA HA SUCKER!! Sorry that wasn't directed at you, I needed to get that out and over with. No offense really. Am I an anime freak of nature? And have any of you eaten an emo cow? And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Here to Stay 

_Chapter Nine: The Need For Aspirin: ENDED_

The hunt for aspirin continues. So does the ultimate nagging of the conscience. And finally after yelling at his inner self Neji bumped into the well known… ROCK LEE!!!

And today Lee is absolutely ecstatic and is bouncing of trees. " HELLO NEJI! May I poke you?"

"Hello Lee. No you may not poke me and please don't scream no matter how happy you are."

"Well I'm off to roast squirrels!"

"Don't… if you value your life… just don't…"

But alas Neji's words were thrown to the wind as Rock Lee skipped away.

Two minutes later the voice of Cynara rang through Konoha, "FOR GOD SAKE! WHEN I SAY STAY OUT IT MEAN'S STAY OUT! SO STAY OUT!"

Somewhere in Konoha 

Ino stared at a broken pane of glass.

Choji was so shocked because he had dropped a bag of potato chips at the sound.

Shikamaru was watching the clouds go by.

Sakura blinked twice and punched the person next to her to make sure she wasn't hearing things.

Naruto is now unconscious because he was next to Sakura.

Tenten just shook her head and went on searching for a certain medication.

And Neji winced.

Oh and well Lee sailed across Konoha like a missile and hit the ramen stand and landed on an unconscious Naruto.

Somewhere in Sunagakure 

Kankuro was staring at a bridge that had collapsed with the innocent passengers on it.

Temari was sailing down on her fan, saving the innocent passengers thinking _'Stupid Sound'_.

Gaara heard a pitiful scream. Nothing more.

Back in Konoha 

Neji decided not to visit Cynara considering that she just threw Lee around two kilometers…

Violent people tend to have violent ways… So true… I was talking about you… 

_Shut up._

"Do you know where the aspirin is? I sure don't!" Gai was also skipping around screaming this and going around in circles. "I'm going to toast squirrels! Bye bye!"

Two minutes later, "THE SAME GOES FOR YOU TOO!"

Somewhere in Konoha 

Ino was staring at the newly bought pane of glass that had cracked again…

Choji fainted because the impossible had happened… he had dropped his second bag of precious chips in ONE DAY.

Shikamaru is still watching clouds because he doesn't care. No not at all.

Sakura poked Naruto trying to see if he was still alive.

Naruto is face first in ramen…

Tenten went on with her shopping.

Neji cringed.

And Gai sensei went flying like a bird and hit the ever so lazy Shikamaru.

Somewhere in Sunagakure 

Kankuro's mouth flew open when on of the bystander fell off the cliff.

Temari cursed when she dropped one of the passengers.

Gaara heard another pitiful scream. Nothing more.

Back in Konoha 

Neji was suddenly very scared because if Lee and Gai were thrown a few kilometers because the provoked Cynara what would happen if someone actually got her mad?

Oh my… that would be very scary… very scary indeed… Do you think killing would be involved? Uh… most probable… What would happen if we poured water on her? DON'T. I don't wanna find out… Why not? Well Tenten said not to and she's her cousin! 

_Good point…_

"BLECH! They call this teriyaki? More like salt mixed with a lot of curry!" Neji turned to find Cynara strolling down the streets eating a piece of teriyaki. He kept himself from jumping back with the fear that he might face Gai and Lee's demise… "Hello Neji… may I poke you?"

"No… why are you asking me this?"

"You mean you didn't know? Today's international poke day!

"What?"

"I don't know either but your friend in the spandex told me that just now so yeah… thought I'd give it a try…

"What are you eating?"

"Teriyaki you fob…"

"What's a fob?"

"Some one who does those silly little poses in pictures… You know kinda like bunny ears but no…"

"But I don't pose in pictures… in fact I don't pose for pictures…"

"What are you? Camera shy?"

"No…"

"Do you like Tenten?"

The sudden randomness of this made Neji choke. Cynara whacked him hard on the back many times as he coughed. "Are you plotting against me or something?"

"Uh… why?"

"I FOUND THE ASPIRIN!" Tenten bounced into the conversation.

"What? YAY!!!" Cynara is now high because of this…

"Where did you find that? It's like an endangered species now…"

"Hmm? Oh there were a couple of bottles lying around Lee when I passed him on the way back…"

"WHA'CHA, WHA'CHA, WHA'CHA, I MADE IT THROUGH THE DAY! WHA'CHA, WHA'CHA, WHA'CHA, I MADE IT THROUGH THE DAY!" Cynara sang this to the tune of 'Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel"

"Are you on drugs?" Neji arched an eyebrow at Cynara who is currently running around like a maniac, dancing and punching innocent bystanders.

"It's just the thing that I'm seeing my good friend the aspirin jar again…" Cynara replied _still_ punching innocent bystanders. Then she took three bottles full of aspirin and danced off.

"Your cousin is really odd you know that?"

Tenten grimaced. "Tell me about it…"

**NOW! NOW!**

What do you mean now? 

**Now is when you confess your love for her!**

You really are hopeless… GET IT THORUGH YOUR HEAD! I DO NOT LIKE TENTEN!

Sure doesn't seem like it… 

"Do you want any aspirin? Because I have enough to make a small fortune off of…"

"Sure… Where were you for those two years?"

"I thought you didn't want to know…" Tenten replied as she handed him a bottle of _DR BEN'S MULTI PURPOSE ASPIRIN_.

"No… Last time you asked if I wanted to know _why_ you left… right now I'm asking you _where_…"

"…"

"Don't steal my thing…"

"Well for half a year I traveled around and then for one year I became a well known hermit who live in the mountains who you were not supposed to mess with. The rest of the time I spent traveling."

"Oh… Where did you say you got this aspirin from?"

"It was around Lee…"

"Wait a minute… If it was around Lee and there was so many…"

They both turned in the direction of town. "Do you think Gai and Lee stole every single aspirin bottle in town?" Tenten asked Neji.

"I don't know… And I'm afraid, knowing them…"

A FEW MINUTES LATER 

Villager1: Look at all the aspirin!

Villager2: ASPIRIN RAID!

Villager3: I call dibs on all the _DR BEN'S MULTI PURPOSE ASPIRIN_!

Villager2: No fair!

Villager3: WHO CARES! CHARGE!

Tenten and Neji: OMG! RUN!

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPELL THE WORD DREIDEL! I need help I know… but it's just the fact that school's out and I have been knitting furiously because I'm too lazy to buy Christmas presents… -Scrooge A.K.A Shadoom


	10. Axes and Accidents

GLAH! Guess what I got for Christmas? It's going to make me feel worse than the time when I couldn't do any sit-ups… I, the scrooge… GOT A BALL POINT PEN! It's not funny because that was it! And wasn't really a fancy pen… it's one of those stick BIC© pens… I think I'm going to cry… And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

P.S. I'm going to let my dear friend Shadeath give this a try… Though I know I'll end up throwing something at her I'm only doing this so I can criticize her later. Hoping she doesn't annoy me first…

Here to Stay 

_Chapter Ten: Axes and Accidents_

Tenten is fuming. Neji is out cold. Can you guess why?

Cynara is bouncing around as if drugged. Chaos is running around Konoha. Can you guess why?

The aspirin of course…

People are killing. The peace has fled the world. Can you guess why?

I certainly can't. But I do know that was off topic.

Oh shut up Shadoom.

I QUIT!

Shadeath speaking! Here's a brief summary: Neji and Tenten ran away from the mob of citizens. Tenten was safely in a branch but Neji got run over. Lucky him. Cynara on the other hand has eaten one whole bottle of aspirin and is high. The chaos amidst the streets of town is emitted from the mob of aspirin lovers. Did I miss any thing? Oh yes and my friend Shadoom has just been fired. Don't worry it's nothing serious really. Now back to the story.

Tenten stared uneasily at the unconscious Hyuga from her perch. Was he dead? Considering the fact that around a thousand people just trampled him I'd think, yes he's most definitely dead. But that's just me…

Tenten then through a kunai and would've hit Neji in the eye if he hadn't been pushed just now by an angry citizen. Yep, she agrees with me. I mean what fun is a dead corpse of you can't poke it a bit?

And then suddenly…

"OMG!!! NEJI!!! OMG!!! YOUR DEAD!!! TALK TO ME!!! TALK TO ME!!! LET YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH RESURRUCT YOU!!!"

… A bruised Gai appeared!

Tenten didn't even try to escape. Gai wasn't going to do anything that would let him find out she was back so there really was no point. Any way's she liked watching him humiliate himself. It was funny.

"OH NEJI!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? YOUR DEAD!!!" Tenten sniggered and then paled at the thought that he might chop down the tree. And then quickly dismissed the thought seeing that Gai did NOT have an ax on him. "I KNOW!!! I'LL CHOP DOWN THIS TREE AND THEN BURN YOU WITH IT!!! THAT WAY YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH WILL BLOSSOM WITH THE BURNING TREE!!!" Gai magically pulled an ax out of thin air. Don't ask me how he did it because I don't know.

On second thought… Tenten went through her choices frantically. It was either she ran away hoping that Neji would wake up if he was alive which was easy enough or she could go save Neji's butt again and risk Gai recognizing her.

"GAI SENSEI, GAI SENSEI WHY ARE YOU CRYING… OMG!!! NEJI ARE YOU DEAD? OMG YOUR DEAD ARN'T YOU? OMG!!!" Lee arrived at the scene and is now also bawling his eyes out like a loser.

Correction: Risk Gai _and_ Lee recognizing her when she went to rescue Neji. No Tenten was not going to scream… She was going to… PANIC!!! But she couldn't run away because she couldn't risk Neji being barbecued just after the plant incident… But then again she couldn't let her presence be known… not to those hyper active people… And she didn't have enough time to go run to Cynara… Wait a minute was that familiar blue tipped hair _Cynara_? No it couldn't be… yet it _was…_Not only was Cynara bouncing up and down but also somehow she managed to get _purple_ streaks and they weren't the normal dark purple… No this purple was NEON! Yes Cynara's mother would probably have a fit later on… but Tenten was SAVED!!!

"What'cha doing?" Cynara has now joined the chaotic scene with Neji on the ground with Gai and Lee grieving over him while she had an idiotic yet childish grin plastered on her face.

"WE'RE MOURNING TO THE DEAD!"

"We are?"

"YES WE ARE!!!"

"Is he really dead? Because he's not…"

"HE'S NOT?"

"Can I poke him? Do you have any candy? Can I have some?" Tenten smacked her head. Some savior…WHY did she have to go eat a bottle of aspirin now of all times?

Suddenly Lee and Gai realized who they were talking to, "ARRRGH! IT'S YOU!!!"

"What about me?"

"Blubber…" Lee was on the ground frothing.

"Grampy… why is he frothing? Does he have rabies?" Tenten couldn't look—she would burst out laughing and then her cover would be blown.

THUD! "Grampy why didn't you tell me you had rabies as well?" Tenten peeked through her fingers and then started laughing. Apparently the shock of seeing the one who threw him as far as at least a mile Gai had fainted.

"BWA HA HA… I RULE SUPREME AT INDIMIDATING PEOPLE!!!" Tenten saw that the drugs probably wore off Cynara and that she was just realizing that she made Gai and Lee faint.

"How many pieces of aspirin did you take?" Tenten lightly hopped off the branch while keeping a safe distance away from her cousin… Just in case.

"I can't remember how much…" Cynara started prodding the hilt of the ax.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"I dunno… poke Neji with I guess…"

"Hilt first or blade first?"

"Definitely blade. I mean he's dead right?" Cynara heaved up the ax and was about to swing when…

…Luckily Neji woke up. "WHAT THE? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO BEHEAD ME?"

"Oops… maybe not quite dead yet… oh well!"

"TENTEN TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON BEFORE YOUR MADMAN OF A COUSIN EXECUTES ME!!!"

"I'm not a madman!"

"THEN DON'T SWIN—OMG WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR? ARRGH MY EYES!!"

"Do you want me to actually swing? Because I will if you keep on--- ARRRGH!"

Unfortunately Cynara is quite accident-prone and Tenten was bored. Tenten being bored decided to do something. Rather then try to talk to two yelling arguers she decided to throw weapons at the trees. Purely by chance Cynara had flung up a hand in annoyance and hit a speeding kunai.

Now they are all staring at Cynara's hand, which is erupting blood. Well Neji and Tenten are but Cynara didn't scream at that… No, no Cynara had started to walk off and then didn't look in front of her and walked off a cliff. So Neji and Tenten are staring at the kunai pierced hand that is gripping the ledge. But it wasn't that, that Cynara screamed bloody murder at either… she had continued talking when it started to rain. And we all know Cynara hates getting wet…

**Shadeath: **HA! That was easy! I can't believe you'd call it hard!!!

**Shadoom: **It doesn't matter on how fast you type… It's the quality of the work you dobe…

**Shadeath: **Well than read it!!!

**Shadoom: **…

**Shadeath: **Well? Well?

**Shadoom: **…

**Shadeath: **WELL?

**Shadoom: **…

**Shadeath: **OWW!!! WHY'D YOU JUST THROW ONE OF YOU BOOKS AT ME?

Shadoom: Fool… you stink at this… 

**Shadeath: **Don't you have to be more Zen like?

**Shadoom:** Fine… The story of your typing is a poem of two words…

**Shadeath:** Yes? Yes?

**Shadoom:** YOU SUCK…

**Shadeath: **You got that off of that game advertisement!

**Shadoom: **I think it was called Red Steel or something like that…

Well there you go, a chapter written by the courtesy of Shadeath. It sucks doesn't it? _IT DOES NOT!_ Now why not? _BECAUSE I WROTE IT! AND WHAT I DO DOES NOT SUCK!!! _Calm down… your hyperventilating… _If you agree with me send a big fat BLEAH to Shadoom._ If you agree with me just contact me and tell us Shadeath a dobe… - Shadoom and Shadeath


	11. Another Day of L&G Stupidity

OH WOE IS ME!!! I broke the pen… MY ONLY PITIFUL PRESENT!!! AND WITH IT I BROKE A PIECE OF MY COUSIN'S SOUL!!! NO!!! POOR, POOR SHADEATH!!! Not that I care or anything… I mean she is mean… And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Here to Stay Chapter Eleven: Another Day Of G&L Stupidity… 

Tenten stared at the bloody hand groping around, trying to find something to pull it up. She was a smart person and woke up Gai and Lee through physical means (Shaking and screaming) and made Lee get an umbrella and Gai go with Lee. Luckily the rain was pouring so hard that they did not recognize her. For the moment anyway… There parting conversation went sort of like this…

LEE: Sensei where did that scary girl go?

GAI: I don't know… I hope she fell off a cliff and stabbed herself in the hand with a kunai…

LEE: Sensei who was that girl who just asked us to get umbrellas?

GAI: Whoever she is, she's not very polite… unlike our dearly departed Tenten…

Tenten twitched and so did the hand gripping the cliff. She also resisted the urge to yell out that she was Tenten. Neji just kept a straight face as he tried not to get wet. Very amusing since the rain was coming down in cascading sheets and there was no way on avoiding it in their current situation.

Now let's see how Cynara's doing down there.

"GET ME OUTTA HERE! IT'S WET!!! AND MY ARM'S GONNA RIP OFF!!!"

Tenten had a look of amusement on her face as she gazed at the hand. "Which one?"

"BOTH OF THEM!"

"It would help if you let go of ---" Neji pointed out before he was cut off.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'LET GO'? THERE'S A 250 METER GORGE DOWN THERE AND I THINK MY CHANCES OF COMING OUT LOOKING LIKE A DEAD MAN ARE PRETTY HIGH!!!"

"I meant let go of the battle ax…"

"But… I LIKE THIS AX!!!"

"Great… she's grown attached to it…" Tenten said exasperated. "How embarrassing…"

"AT LEAST I DON'T NAME MY WEAPONS!!!"

"You name your weapons?" Neji asked surprised.

"Maybe one or two…" Tenten answered nervously flapping her hand. "It's not really important…"

"One or two? One or two my foot! You named every single one of them! There's Goby your first kunai, Foog your first shuriken, Molity your first---"

"That's enough! I just have a big imagination that's all…"

"Big imagination my foot!"

"You two shut up… I see Gai and Lee and… dear lord no…"

"What? They didn't bring an umbrella?"

"They brought an umbrella all right… one spandex green umbrella with pink polka dots…"

"Your joking right?"

"I wish I was…"

"THAT'S DISGUSTING! DISGUSTING I TELL YOU!!!"

"We don't need your opinion…"

"WHATEVER! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!!"

So Neji and Tenten stared at the two approaching figures frolicking in the rain with an over sized green umbrella which looked like it had over sized neon measles… with a look of utter disgust… or was it just horror?

"LA DEE DA DEE DA!!! Gai sensei this is fun!!!" Lee shouted as he galloped around in the mud.

"LA DEE DA DEE DA!!! I agree Lee!!!" Gai yelled with equal enthusiasm as he too was frisking around like a rabbit during springtime…

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

And then a soggy background of Hawaii and the sound of muffled fireworks (Well it's hard to light fireworks in the rain!) suddenly appeared as they hugged each other.

And we all cue for a sweat drop… Cynara just held up the battle-ax, which she had a sweat drop painted on.

" HELLO NEJI!!! WE FOUND THIS UMBRELLA IN THE GARBAGE CAN!!!" Neji and Tenten didn't look surprised. "WE WONDER WHY! IT'S POSITIVELY EXPLODING WITH YOUTHFUL ENERGY!"

"More like emitting waves of disgusting foulness…" Cynara muttered under her breath.

"GAI SENSEI, GAI SENSEI! COME QUICK! I HAVE FOUND THE EIGHT WORLD WONDER!!!" Lee hollered, urgently gesturing for Gai sensei to come. "VOILA!!! THE TALKING HAND!!"

"OMG!!! LEE I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

And the normal routine happens. Don't even ask me what it is… you already know it…

And so our would be heroes sweat drop yet again.

Now that the atmosphere has calmed down a notch or two, Gai sensei and Lee are… well… erm… jabbing the eighth world wonder…

"Um… why are you poking Cynara's hand?" Tenten inquired, mildly amused at the sight.

"The sacred talking hand _belongs_ to someone? The eighth world wonder is _owned_ by someone?" Gai asked incredulously.

Neji and Tenten grimaced at the thought at what Cynara would do right now. "Well technically… yes." Tenten decided to say.

"That is the worst lie I have ever heard Tenten." Lee stated in disbelief not even noticing the fact that he had a long lost team member right there in front of him.

" Amen" Gai agreed. " That is the worst lie ever Tenten… WAIT A MINUTE! LEE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG HERE!!! I JUST CAN'T PLACE IT THOUGH!!!"

By now the rain had stopped and Cynara getting fed up with this nonsense and as the seconds grew her temper did too. So now she is so annoyed that she has somehow found strength in her arm and has thrown the giant ax over the ledge. But as we know, she has bad aim and it came close to hitting the poor abused seagull in the distance.

"YOU FOOLS!!!" Cynara yelled at them as she hauled herself over the ledge. "THE ONLY THING WRONG HERE IS YOUR UTTERLY ABNORMAL STUPIDITY!!!"

"GAH!" Gai and Lee attempt to faint. But they are so high on who knows what that they cannot. "OH PLEASE SPARE US OH MIGHTY RULER OF THE COOKIES!!! PLEASE SPARE US FROM YOUR WRATH!"

"Do you know what makes them like this?" Asked the Hyuga prodigy to the swamp gypsy and her cousin.

"Possibly hormones…" Replied Tenten to the 'emotional ice-cube'.

"Most definitely…" Agreed her very furious cousin who is now wielding a very large chain whip or was it a rose vine? Well either way it was a weapon…

HELLO! How was that? I know I suck at this and Shadeath is mocking me but… SHADEATH CAN GO DIE!!!


	12. Loyalties

I AM SO, SO SORRY! I know I haven't posted for like a million years but I have been busy with thirty million different projects for thirty million different teachers. This is a result for having a class on Saturday. Oh well… And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO. Or the candy mountain thingy.

P.S. This is a filler and it's not as humorous. This is why the genre is 'General' I wasn't sure.

Here to Stay 

_Chapter Twelve: Loyalties_

Now that Cynara has satisfied her temper and has sent two more patients to the hospital she is momentarily hacking down trees with the battle-ax that she had retrieved from quite some distance.

"Wow…" Tenten echoed Neji's thoughts. "She must really like that ax…"

"So why did you become a hobo again?" Neji asked now directing his attention to Tenten.

"Uh…"

"Pardon me?"

"Uh…"

"'Uh' is not an answer. Not a proper one that is…"

"WELL SORRY!"

"WOO HOO! THIS TOTALLY ROCKS! YO TENTEN LET'S GO TO CANDY MOUNTAIN!" Cynara has literally crashed into their conversation.

"You do know that there's no such thing as Candy Mountain right?" Neji informed the now super, super hyper Cynara.

"SHU-U-UN! … Neji's a non-believer… A NON-BELIEVER!"

"…"

They both watched as Cynara bounded away singing "Candy Mountain… We're going to Candy MOOOOUUUUUNN-AIN!"

"That settles it. My cousin is officially crazy."

"What do you mean officially?"

"I meant as in crazier than usual."

"True… wait… Is Cynara a kunoichi?" Neji suddenly asked this as he realized something.

"Yes… why do you ask?"

"What is her village?"

Tenten suddenly looked intrigued at this. "OY! CYNARA!"

"Hmm?" The ax was gone and the effects of the aspirin were actually wearing off this time. Cynara looked at them as she approached reluctantly. "What is it?"

"Are you a ninja?" Neji decided to keep this strait forward.

"Yes…" Cynara looked as if she was going to run.

"Where's your headband?" Sure enough the headband was nowhere to be found.

"I…I…I… why?"

"Where do your loyalties lie?"

"…uh… er…"

She fled.

Neji and Tenten gave the chase. Of course they did you fools! I mean if there's someone completely unidentified in the village they were supposed to chase them. Right? But what if it were almost humanely impossible?

Because if Cynara was a criminal she most certainly wasn't going in custody. Yes you'd think that her hair would make her quite noticeable but… it didn't. Plants love her and she was using them to her advantage by throwing almost everything she could at her two pursuers.

And then she jumped.

It was really quite simple. There was a cliff and Cynara jumped over. Neji and Tenten peered over the side of the cliff only to find red river water and a carcass that the crows were already pecking at.

"She had something to hide most likely…" Tenten told Neji uneasily as they walked away from the scene of crime. Neji just nodded his head in agreement.

They didn't look long enough to see thin vines choking the crows.

_That was almost too easy._

XxXxX

A dark shadowed figure walked along the embankment of the river and came to a stop at the supposedly dead person.

"Get up Shenvy. You're not fooling anyone…" Remarked the person as a lock of red tipped grey hair fell down.

"Shut up Shanger… it sure fooled those two…"

"Well then they're either idiots who expect the best in life or else they're just idiots. Any fool could have seen that your vines were dangling those crows around like puppets. You wouldn't have gotten this far if it weren't for my brother!"

"I guess they're fools…" Cynara, or should we say Shenvy, rolled over. "I still can't believe that girl actually thought I was her cousin! She must be desperate… Though it was fun while it was lasted…"

"Ha! Is it just me or is the great Shenvy growing soft?" The person Cynara had named as Shanger emitted a bark of laughter, which was suddenly cut off at her next remark.

"Not soft enough to stop killing…"

This is where the REAL plot comes and haunts us… Who are they, Shenvy and Shanger? Who else is with them? What is Cynara hiding? This and more in chapter 13. Don't worry the normal chaos will resume in their adventures. –Shadoom

Shenvy is pronounced as SHA-envy though if you say it really fast it sounds like 'Shen-vee'

Shanger is pronounced as SHA-anger though if you say that at talking speed then it sounds like 'Shain-ger'


	13. Level S Missing Nin

I'M BA-ACK! I have missed you all so much… kiss, kiss… Okay I'm joking, I really wouldn't kiss you people. But I have to tell you people this now. In the chapters before I called my friend Shadeath a 'she'. He is not. And he is mad. And he hopes that you can actually forget about my foolish mistake. And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Here to Stay 

_Chapter Thirteen: Level S Missing Nin_

"Tsunade wishes to see you in her office…"

Some random ninja told this to Neji and Tenten a few minutes ago. Now they were in front of Tsunade who was lounging in that nice looking leather chair that I love…

"Okay let's start from square one… Where were you Tenten?" Tsunade suddenly slammed both of her palms downward on the desk startling both of them.

"Places… Many, many places…" Tenten drifted off.

"Okay… that was off topic." Tsunade suddenly gave them a friendly smile. They both started to feel very scared… "The real reason why you are here is that I'm going to assign you a mission.

_No duh… But for some odd reason I don't think it's what we'd bargain for…_

"This is a B-rank mission. We have six missing nin who have been reported to be seen in or around Konoha."

"Your point?"

"I want you to talk to them and try to convince them that coming back to Konoha is their best alternative. But if they do not agree and suddenly resort to physical means than this will ricochet in to an A-rank mission."

"Okay… What's the catch?"

"No catch. It's just the fact that they're all Level S missing nin." She threw a heavy file full of papers on the desk. "This is the information on the six. Good luck."

As they left Tsunade's voice trailed after them. "And if any one of them gets killed bring me the body."

So that was then. This is now.

Neji flipped through a few of the files with disgust. "They each must have some large tainted history…"

"Okay Neji… Why don't we first find the names of those we need to find?" Tenten split the pile and took away half for herself.

"Okay I got Paloma Kuragari, Axel Kuragari and a Diego Ragougra… you?" Tenten looked up after an hour of going through sheets.

Neji looked up and blinked, adjusting to the sudden light of day. "Shuuhei Takémura and Anjyl Komicana. I'm not quite done yet…"

"Wow you're a slow reader for a prodigy…"

"Hn…" He ruffled through the remaining sheets. "I don't believe it…"

"What?" Tenten perked up at the sign that she may be able to leave this room. "Who's the sixth person?"

"…"

"TELL ME YOU MARSHMALLOW STEALING WHITE EYED FREAK!"

"I don't like marshmallows…"

"Just tell me."

"…"

"TELL ME! PLEASE!"

"…"

"Strangely enough this feels like déjà vu…"

"…"

"ON YOUR PART ONLY!"

"…"

"Look Neji, if you want to live your life like a hermit who talks in riddles only that's fine with me. But if you shape your future to be a hermit who doesn't talk at all… you're going to have me to deal with… SO TELL ME ALREADY!"

"Cynara Ibara…"

XXXXX

A beam of sunlight snuck it's way through a rather large gap in the ceiling of a rather large cavern and struck the surface of a shallow pool of water that was constantly disturbed at the gentle pounding of the glistening sheet of cascading water. For the feeble-minded it means 'waterfall'.

"So… they continue to tread wearily through the muddy and frozen waters of the truth that has been tainted with lies…" A tall girl stood at the base of a waterfall staring intently at its crystal depths.

"Shoot Paloma. We got no time for your riddles. Just tell us the simple and plain future." A boy with dark blond hair and brown roots complained. It was quite comical since she was twice his height.

"Patience Shafear! We cannot rush Shanger for the truth!" A rather familiar purple and blue haired individual growled at the smaller boy.

"But—"

"Would you like to have the future to be constantly twisting and turning and rather unpredictable for you? Or would you rather have a rather boring and mechanical future where everything runs like a clockwork for your entire life?" A sarcastic voice cut through the shadows as a dark aura entered the cave.

"What do you mean?" Shafear was uneasy at the newly arrived presence.

"What I mean is that it's better to _not_ to know every single detail on what's coming up… Diego honestly!" The owner of the voice stayed in the dark but was seemed as sharp as to cut the tension in the air. "And Cynara… I rather did _not_ like how you imitated me. None of us are fools, we know you love getting wet… Oh and change your hair back to it's original shade… You look as if you went to the hair salon and got drunk!"

Cynara hung her head sheepishly but suddenly jolted back up at the sound of the voice of Paloma.

"Where is my brother? If he went to go find _it_ I'm telling you it's hopeless!"

"Oh quit your bellyaching and scry a tad more Shanger. It would help if you didn't cause the rest of us to get migraines the size of the moon!" Cynara suddenly threw her hands up in the air. Diego yelped at the sudden movement which knocked him off his perch.

"Then eat an aspirin!"

While Cynara busied herself, rummaging through her bag for the aspirin Shafear started muttering. "Paloma you can't say that it's hopeless…"

At this Shanger exploded. "NOT HOPELESS? Look at us Diego. Our families are gone, are dead! Because of what we are! They've left this world and it's all are fault! And yet my brother insists to search for a so-called cure that doesn't even exist!" She raised her hand. "Look this was caused by our curse!" She pointed to her scarred neck.

Suddenly a shuriken was deeply lodged between the Paloma's knucklebones. She winced in pain as a pair of gold eyes glared at her with intense rage. "Consider it as a gift rather then a curse! There is no need to snap at us! We are in the same position as you except perhaps worse! Your brother may be looking for a fantasy but at least he has a dream!"

Oblivious to their exchange Cynara stood up. "Okay guys this isn't funny… Which one of you took all the aspirin from my bag? I had at least three bottles in here…"

XxXxX

"So. What do we do now?" Tenten looked at Neji. They were both heading from the cliff where they had last seen the body.

"We're going to bring Cynara's dead body to Tsunade to examine." Neji explained quietly.

"How?"

When they reached the riverbanks they found a dead body all right… But it was deeply rooted into an oak tree.

"I don't know how. I was planning on getting Lee since it seems as if he enjoys abusing trees. Or logs at least."

LATER 

"Thanks Lee!"

Tenten waved a good bye to the idiot who still hasn't noticed that his third teammate has come back. Neji just shook his head and started toward Tsunade's office.

LATER 

"ARE YOU TWO FOOLS?" Tsunade's voice echoed through the halls. "AND YOU CALL YOURSELVES NINJA!"

Tenten cowered slightly but stood her ground as she tried to keep her voice firm. "I don't understand. We brought you the body…"

Tsunade looked at her. "Look. Are you telling me that you can't tell that this is merely a doll?"

"Then it's quite a lifelike rotting doll."

"… If you looked closely you'll see that the hair is very, very thin plant fibers and that the teeth are small pebbles. The skin is a thin paste that's made from bark and leaves. Inside this hollow shell is more of this paste except thicker. And maggots don't come and eat the eyes out until five hours after the death!"

Now when Tsunade told them this they both saw that it was true. It was just a lifelike doll made of plants.

"If you had read the file for Cynara back to front you would've known she specializes in plants!"

XxXxX

"They just noticed your doll Cynara…" Paloma told her as Cynara dressed her wounded hand.

Diego snorted in disbelief. "Wow… They really are the idiots you told me about… And to think that one of them is the great Hyuga prodigy…"

"Don't laugh at them… My sōmoku nisemono (A.K.A. Plant Imitation) jutsu has drastically advanced up. My skills are probably better then yours."

"… Are you guys fighting?" A tall red headed (As in blood red not red head red) character with a pair of emerald green eyes and a scar that trailed below his right eye. He wore a floor length black cloak. "What happened to your hand Paloma?"

"So your finally back. And a shuriken magically found it's way in my hand. Don't know how."

"… You're an idiot."

"Ah brotherly love. So bitter." Diego said trying not to laugh.

They both turned to face Shafear. "SHUT UP DIEGO!"

I'm finally done this. Everybody send me all the emo quotes you can I'm making a list on my website. I also have a blog on that very same website it is…  - Shadoom


	14. Shapain

My life is complete. Absolutely complete. I had to say my speech FOUR TIMES. And in PUBLIC at that. Once for the mark. The second time was for competing with my friend for the top title. The third time was because we tied. The fourth time because I won and had to do it again in front of six classes! And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Warning: I seem to be suffering from a severe case of giggles.

Here to Stay Chapter Fourteen: Shapain 

"So-o… What do we do now?" Tenten looked helplessly at the now scowling Neji.

"…"

"Hyuga Neji. We are NOT repeating what happened a few minutes ago. You are going to tell me what you have on your puny little mind before I go and decidedly go and kill myself." **(Lol)**

"We find them…"

"Okay I got that much but HOW?" Tenten looked exasperated.

"… We—" Neji was rudely cut off by a squealing Ino.

"Tenten! Is that you?" Ino looked her up and down. "OMG! It is! I've missed you! Where were you? We were worried sick! I thought you were dead! You're actually back! OMG! OMG! OMG!"

"Calm down Ino! I'm fine!"

"Well you are coming with me and we are going to have some serious girl talk! You don't mind ditching your boyfriend in the middle of a date right?" **(Lol)**

_Boyfriend?_

Oooh! We know what that means! Hint, hint, poke, poke, jab, jab, nudge, nudge.

_Oh I haven't heard from you for how long now?_

What? You missed me?

_No. Now shut up._

You're so mean!

_I'm _so_ hurt! Whoops I think my sarcasm has burnt a hole in the world._

…

_Now shut up._

…

Neji walked on not even caring about how Tenten had supposedly 'dumped' him. (Lol)

XxXxX

"So Tenten… Now that we know where you've been and what's happened it's our turn to tell you what's happened in Konoha!" Ino bounced happily on her seat. She, Sakura and Tenten were all seated at the Midnight Lotus Teahouse. (A/N Dunno where that came from… Lol)

"Yeah! After all there have been a few hot guys showing up in Konoha…" Sakura grinned as she sipped her oolong tea. "You'd like to meet them Tenten, trust me on that."

"Pardon me?" Tenten smiled right back. "It sounds as if you two are trying to hook me up with someone…"

"Well there is this guy who comes here at 4:00 everyday…" Ino said suggestively.

"Ah! So that's why you insisted in coming to this particular teahouse." Tenten laughed.

"What? He's actually pretty nice!" Ino started defensively. "Aren't I right Sakura?"

"Even though I hate too tell you this Tenten he is quite—oh there he is!" With a tinkle of bells the oak wood door opened to reveal the profile of a young man with dark purple cropped hair and violet tinted black eyes. He wore a skintight dark brown turtleneck shirt with a autumn brown knee length fleece sweater over top. He also had on a pair of green cargoes and at his side was a long sheathed blade. Tenten had to admit—he was quite a looker.

One of the waitresses came up to him. With red tipped steel grey hair she looked as if she didn't belong. Her green eyes blazed not fire but a peaceful understanding. She exchanged a few sharp words with the older teen and left.

Whatever she said had startled the teenager as because he looked quite uneasy as he scanned the shop for an empty table.

"Shuuhei! Over here!" Ino waved him over to their table with enthusiasm.

_Shuuhei? Where have I heard that name before?_ Tenten looked at the eighteen year old with a newfound curiosity.

XxXxX

Neji walked along the streets minding his own business when—CRASH! He collided into a slender girl with streaks of pastel green in her black hair. Her dark blue eyes flashed in annoyance.

Neji picked himself up and offered her a hand that she ignored. Muttering an apology to him she stalked off toward a tall redheaded man.

They walked off but not before Neji heard part of their conversation. "Shapain is in the range with the target…"

XxXxX

"So there I was with my pants down!"

Laughter echoed from Tenten's table as the three friends conversed with this mysterious hot new man. (Lol)

"So Shuuhei, are you still single?" Ino asked. (A/N Way to be blunt! Lol)

Shuuhei looked levelly back at the pale blond. "Even if I was, you wouldn't be my type. Just telling you now so you don't get hurt later." (Awww… Lol)

" Now wasn't that sweet of him Ino." Sakura teased her friend while laughing.

Admittedly Shuuhei was quite a gentleman and he was a nice guy to be around but still there was this feeling that kept nagging Tenten about him.

"Well ladies it is getting quite late, I'd escort you all home but there's three of you and only one of me." Shuuhei stood up and paid the bill and left after a few goodbyes.

"See Tenten! Isn't he a kind guy?" Ino immediately pounced on the matter as soon as the door had closed.

"Yeah, yeah… Too bad he might not be single…" Tenten got up with the other two.

"Yeah… too bad…" Sakura sighed as they headed toward the door.

As Ino and Tenten waved farewell to Sakura they headed toward Ino's house. Since Cynara had disappeared Tenten was now staying with Ino.

"You have to say—That sword makes him look quite dignified… and sexy…"

"Ino!" Tenten and Ino laughed the entire way to Ino's house.

_Flashback_

"_Okay Neji… Why don't we first find the names of those we need to find?" Tenten split the pile and took away half for herself. _

"_Okay I got Paloma Kuragari, Axel Kuragari and a Diego Ragougra… you?" Tenten looked up after an hour of going through sheets._

_Neji looked up and blinked, adjusting to the sudden light of day. "Shuuhei Takémura and Anjyl Komicana. I'm not quite done yet…"_

"_Wow you're a slow reader for a prodigy…"_

End Flashback 

_Shuuhei Takémura…WHAT THE?_ Tenten almost slapped herself.

"Ino… What's Shuuhei's surname?"

"Hmm? Takémura why?"

"Oh… it's nothing big just wondering." Tenten mentally slapped herself.** (Lol)**

So I finally finish chapter fourteen! Lol. I swear this pop is making my head go in circles. Lol. I'm giggling as if I have hiccups! Lol! Lol! Lol! Lol! Lol! Hiccup… lol…hiccup…lol…hiccup…lol…LOL! If you can guess who the girl Neji crashed into is I'll give you a preview of chapter fifteen! But one guess only! We can't have you guessing every single character now can we? Lol! - Shadoom


	15. More G&L Madness

I'm sober now. Don't worry—I'm not laughing—Not anymore… On the other hand I feel as if I haven't properly thanked my fans. But this one is dedicated to **Dreaming101. **You deserve it! See your mighty username in bold! BUT I LOVE ALL MY FANS! And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Here to Stay Chapter Fifteen: More G&L Madness

While Tenten and her friends were drinking tea Neji… WAS TAKEN HOSTAGE! By whom you ask? Well can you guess? Yes it was… LEE AND GAI SENSEI!

Well they didn't reveal their identities or anything but they weren't that good at hiding it…

LEE: PSST! GAI SENSEI! IS THIS A YOUTHFUL ENOUGH WHISPER?

GAI: LEE! THAT'S PERFECT!

LEE: GAI SENSEI!

GAI: LEE!

LEE: GAI SENSEI!

GAI: LEE!

LEE: GAI SENSEI!

GAI: LEE!

LEE: GAI SENSEI!

GAI: LEE!

Fireworks go off and the exotic paradise named the Caribbean pops out of nowhere.

But for some odd reason… NEJI DID NOT NOTICE!

XxXxX

"So have you done it?" A thin voice came from the nearby rustling bushes.

"Done what?" A tall intimidating character was standing in the over hanging branches.

"C'mon! You know! That thing Paloma asked you to do!" An indigo-eyed individual was thrashing silently in the bushes to no avail. She tried to get the thorny branches out of her face and ended up letting them go to smack her face. "Dang! Why do these things grow whenever I see them?"

"Oh I don't know! Perhaps the fact where they just _lurve_ you!" The owner of the shock of violet hair threw back his head and laughed quietly.

"Oh just answer the question."

" He won't hear a thing unless you're in his two meter radius. I shifted the winds around him so the sound will dissipate when they meet the barrier. I'm rather proud of myself." The teen had a rather smug look on his face.

"…"

"What? Where's my well-deserved applause?"

"If you think you deserve 'praise' for that silly circus trick than you will NOT get it got it? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm Shu—EEEK!" The girl screamed. "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

"Cynara… it's just a garden spider…"

XxXxX

"She's just running around screaming about garden pests…" Paloma looked into the water with utter disbelief. "And Shuuhei's laughing at her…"

"So Shuuhei must've made the sound barrier… Dispatch yourself Shafear…" Gold eyes seemed strangely unsettled. "Paloma could you please see what's going on with your brother. I smell something strangely…odd."

"What's in it for me?" Paloma narrowed her green eyes.

"That I don't get the urge to tell you… THE TRUTH!" A silent laugh echoed through the cave walls. "Just joking… But back to business… I think he's caught on our trail again…"

"… After we ran through the entire Thunder _and_ Water country? The craggy passes of the Thunder country are absolutely impossible to navigate through and you were _born_ there!"

"Just check please…" The normally fierce eyes seemed tired as a slim hand raked through grey streaked black tresses.

Without another word Paloma looked into the waters again.

XxXxX

Axel stared into the tree line cautiously as the chakra level suddenly ricocheted upwards. "Who's there?" A flame flickered as it burned a trailed around Axel. "Show yourself!"

"Why not? Nothing will change…"A tall battle scarred man in his late thirties emerged. "How are you Axel?"

A pair of green eyes widened in shock. "Why are you here? What happened to the pact that you sealed with the Hokage? You can't set foot on the land here!"

"Oh the pact? Well it's broken… but that drunken gambler of a ruler doesn't need to know that… And why do you think I'm here?" A series of wounds exploded from Axel's body. "Oh—Give my regards to Anjyl."

XxXxX

So as all this was happening Neji just dumbly continue to walk forward when suddenly the world seemed very dark and muffled. Oh and smelt like potatoes. Very dirty potatoes.

Yes you guessed it… GAI AND LEE HAD POUNCED! They had quickly jumped out of their 'concealed' hiding places and pulled a potato sack over the unsuspecting Neji's head. Of course they thought it was all their youthful skill that caused this tragedy (Ho-hum) to occur.

LEE: GAI SENSEI! WE HAVE TAKEN THE TARGET HOSTAGE!

GAI: GOOD LEE!

LEE: OH GAI SENSEI! I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

GAI: OH LEE! YOU'RE SO MODEST!

LEE: WE HAVE MAD SKILLZ!

GAI: YES WE DO—Wait Lee! That's not in the script! (Shuffling papers can be heard in the background…)

LEE: OH I SEE! I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY 'MAD _YOUTHFUL_ SKILLZ!

GAI: SO NEJI! ARE YOU READY TO ANSWER OUR YOUTFUL QUESTIO—Where'd he go?

In the distance if you looked really, _really_ closely you could see the wearer of an ANBU mask of an ivory hawk dragging Neji away.

XxXxX

"Well… They were pathetic fools… Not that good… Or are they just high?" Neji's masked kidnapper shook his head in pity.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Neji spat out some dirty potato peelings from his mouth. Gai and Lee hadn't dumped out everything in the bag.

"Oh? I don't think you're in any position to be asking the questions _Hyuuga_…" The shorter figure turned his head to face Neji. For someone so small he seemed to be radiating a rather large—rather _negative_—aura.

_He says the word Hyuuga with such spite… why?_

"But I am merely a lowly ANBU agent sent by hokage Tsunade. She wishes to know how your mission is progressing."

"I see… We haven't seen any of the nin yet. But we know the appearance of one."

The ANBU snorted. "Pathetic…"

"What do you mean pathetic?" Neji instantly bristled. "Wait—you're rather short to be an ANBU aren't you?"

"Very nice observation…" The ANBU exclaimed dryly. "But too late."

Neji blinked. Did he use some sort of transportation jutsu? He had just been at the back of the grotto and now the ANBU was running out the mouth of the cave.

"Remember… We are everywhere Hyuuga Neji… Everywhere…"

XxXxX

VOILA! CHAPTER FIFTEEN! I was listening to 'I like my sitar' from Limewire when I wrote this… I LIKE MY SITAR, MY SITAR, SITAR! But nevertheless one day… I would like to know how many guy readers there are! Just wondering. –Shadoom


	16. Stalk to Talk

I AM SO SORRY! I've been erm… busy… REALLY I HAVE BEEN BUSY! I'M NOT JOKING! In return of your long wait I'll make this chapter longer than usual. This chapter will make many questions arise. And a lot more second thoughts. And…and… and… _Goes into thinking pose…_ And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

Here to Stay Chapter Sixteen: Stalk to Talk Neji cursed. From the files he received from Tsunade the one who had just disappeared was Diego Ragougra. He specialized in rock jutsus and was a firearms expert. 

Tick. Tick. Tick.

… Tick. Tick. Tick. 

Neji started for the mouth of the cave. He made it out seconds before the cave became a heap of steaming rubble.

"There has to be something here that we don't know about these six…"

XxXxX 

"NOOO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Tenten hit her head repeatedly on a wall. Neji was quietly waiting for her to finish venting her anger. "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH US! THERE HAS TO BE! TWO IN ONE DAY? AARRGH!"

"Speak for yourself…" But even as Neji spoke he was thinking about this mysterious group. "There has to be something that we missed…"

XxXxX

"What the? What happened to Axel? Someone mind telling me?" Cynara hovered over the boy's body that rocked with the intake of every harsh breath now and then.

"Something attacked him. He was on patrol and something…something…" Paloma choked.

"Okay… take it easy now Paloma. He'll be fine they're just minor wounds with a few deep stabs here and there. Where's Anjyl?"

"She went out to do something. Wouldn't tell me." The annoyed tone of Shuuhei echoed from the roof of the cave.

"You let her? In her current state? You fool!" Stalactites started to grow downward at an alarming rate. "This means more work for me if she comes back half dead!"

"Ah! You're back Diego!" Cynara grinned. "Go fetch." The smile slipped off her face.

"WHAT? NO! She can fend for herself better than all of us together. The only people who are on equal footing with her are Axel and _him_!"

But suddenly the cavern fell silent as Axel gripped Paloma's hand and started coughing. "Paloma… He's back…" He managed to rasp out those few words before falling unconscious again.

XxXxX

At that very moment Neji and Tenten were having a nice peaceful walk around the moving market in the outskirts of town seeing as Tenten insisted that she just _had_ to go see the different booths and so on. (A/N: It's like a fair/carnival…)

"Oh. My. God. NEJI! THIS PLUSHIE IS SO KAWAII!" She squealed as she held up a light beige stuffed dog. (A/N: Sorry… I just have this thing for plushies…) "…STUPID PRICE! LOWER YOURSELF THIS INSTANT!"

Needless to say, Neji instantly sweat dropped.

A small hand tugged on the edge of Tenten's capris. "Please miss. I'm selling something like that much cheaper over here…" The hand belonged to a small child. By the looks of it this child's family was suffering from harder times then others. She held up a small rag doll that was clumsily stitched together. It was a rather lopsided small grey cat with the leaf symbol sown on to it's back.

Tenten smiled gently at the child. "Sure how much?" When the child named a price that was not much lower than the previous one she merely laughed and paid the child.

Neji's mouth twisted into a slight smile as he watched the scene. Then suddenly the center of the bazaar erupted in yells and cheers.

A small gasp slipped out of the child's mouth as they neared the commotion. "Miss…You don't want to go to the arena. It's full of bad people and they're always hurting others."

Suddenly a frail form hurtled from the crowd colliding with one of the nearby stands. A rather bulky man emerged from the mass of people, Neji noticed that the people around him gave him a meter radius and cleared off immediately. The child gave a small gulp. "That's Raion! He's a big bully and he steals from almost everybody!" Her eyes were fearful but her words were rebellious.

The brute turned his head toward the child. "Are you calling me a thief kid?" He raised a meaty fist to strike her when his previous victim shot up from the stands and blocked his blow.

"You attack those who accuse you of the truth, you attack those who defy you… But you only attack those weaker than you…you must be a coward!" It turned out to be a beaten young woman with white streaked black hair who seemed strangely wolfish but catlike at the same time. Her gold eyes had a defiant look that echoed rebellious pride.

Tenten asked a nearby shop vender what was going on. The old woman looked at her fearfully. "That Raion is a brute—we all know that but now he's gone to far! I was just selling my wares when he decides to destroy part of my booth and take my wares. That young lady over there decided to give him a talking to but… She's obviously not from around these parts cause everyone knows not to mess with Raion…"

Neji winced as the teenager took every blow with out even trying to defend herself. Apparently Raion got bored of hitting an opponent who didn't care about pain so he decided to take out a dagger and strike her face with it. Tenten gave a slightly audible gasp.

Steel rang against steel as the dagger snapped in two. "I think that's enough play…" On her wrist was a metal cuff that looked as if it were cutting off her circulation. Neji and Tenten watched in fascination as her bony hands formed different hand signs. "Tiger, snake, ox, snake, dog, boar, tiger, dragon… Shadow blood vengeance dragon!" She quietly murmured under her breath as she suddenly gripped Raion's wrist, which was still clutching the broken knife, and dragged the shattered blade down her forearm causing trickles of blood to drip.

"Ha ha! That was idiotic— At this rate you'll probably die of blood loss before I kill you!" Raion laughter stopped as he saw that the smile was still on her impish face.

The bystanders looked on as the blood suddenly flared upward as a serpentine figure was formed from it—a dragon. It reared its head upward and charged forward _and down Raion's throat_…

All of a sudden bruises and cuts were forming over Raion's body exactly where they on his 'victims' body. Except her cuts were fading off at the very same time. She stared down with disdain at the larger man.

"You shouldn't play with the big kids until you're ready…" Suddenly Raion snapped out of his trance.

"What…what… what did you do to me witch?!?!" His eyes looked slightly manic as his head whirled around strangely disoriented.

"Oh nothing… nothing of _great_ importance… Just the little fact that…" She turned around and started walking off in to the distance. "…You've been cursed forever…"

With out any words needed the two leaf ninja followed.

XxXxX

Shuuhei was pacing around the cavern like a caged animal. Paloma was standing at the cave entrance sitting and standing every now and then. Diego was kicking and smashing rocks. Cynara was slamming herself at the grotto wall. The only one who seemed calm was Axel who was fading in and out of consciousness every few minutes.

"What are we going to do? It's only a matter of time before—" Cynara wrung her hands nervously.

"Don't think we don't know it! Stop reminding us on stuff we clearly know about!" Shuuhei gritted his teeth in impatience.

"She's still not back…" Diego looked at the floor emotionlessly. His head snapped upward. "Do you think that he…?"

"I'm going after her." Three heads snapped up to look at Paloma.

"Don't be ridiculous." Cynara chided the older girl. "We can't send you—"

Paloma interrupted with irritation. "If not me who? You have to stay here to tend to Axel, Diego's too weak and Shuuhei has to stay because if _he_ comes here Diego and my strength wouldn't be enough!"

"Yo Paloma. A-HEM! If I'm so weak then let me go!" Diego started jumping up and down ferociously at a particularly large rock.

"DECIDE ALREADY YOU TWO! I DON'T CARE HOW! ROCK PAPER SCISSORS! DRAW STRAWS! WHATEVER!" Shuuhei left eye was twitching slightly.

"Okay fine! Rock, paper—WHAT THE?" Diego stared at the empty space before him. "Where'd she go?"

Cynara sighed gently, "Do you really need to ask Shafear?"

XxXxX

"Who do you think that girl is Neji?" They continued to follow her. She had come to the forest that bordered the carnival.

"I don't know but she was able to use a forbidden jutsu with ease… And by the looks of it, it barely took anything out of her… Possibly one of the targets." Tenten started to approach the younger woman. "What are you doing Tenten?"

Sadly enough… she ignored him.

"Hi there! I saw you stand up to that guy and I was wondering what your name is. Mine's Tenten." Tenten offered the girl a hand to shake.

She turned her head slowly and when they could see her face they could see gloom filled eyes that quickly shifted to shock. "Leaf ninja?" She lowered herself into a battle stance. "What do you want with me?"

Neji now got a better view of the enigma. She had black hair with two bleach grey streaks such behind her bangs. Her tawny almond eyes accented not only her face but also her catlike features as they danced around with curiosity. A sharp nose, a small mouth that smirked slightly, a pair of skeletal hands with long slender fingers that fiddled with the silver belt at the side of her slim waist.

"I just want to your name… I was just in awe of your skill that I witnessed earlier…" Tenten glanced at her slightly hurt.

"Oh? Okay…" She smiled sheepishly as she straightened up. " It's Suzame Zōge. Sorry about the caution. I was brought up that way…" When Tenten looked slightly disappointed Suzame looked owlishly at her. "What's the matter? Were you looking for someone?"

"Yes we were but I'm sorry for disturbing you—"

Suddenly a punkish looking teenager started to run at Suzame. Tenten realized that this was the same waitress who had talked to Shuuhei at the teahouse.

"Anjyl! Anjyl! Thank god you're okay." Suzame—or Anjyl—glared at the older girl with disgust as she panted heavily. "Look there's no time—"

"No time for what? Do I know you? Am I supposed to know you? I assure you I am _not_ suffering from amnesia."

"She fits the description perfectly for Anjyl Komicana. And she," Neji indicated to the taller girl. "She fits the bill for Paloma Kuragari."

The two girls whirled around at the revelation.

"And what of it?" Paloma snarled at the Byakugan user.

"We want you two to come with us back to Konoha." Tenten stated their mission quite bluntly.

Shanger turned to Anjyl. "You go back. The others are still in the same area. I'll stay here. Hurry!"

Anjyl stared back up calmly. "Why?"

"WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME FOR THIS! You have to go back! It's almost the full moon, Axel is half dead, and _he's back…_"

Without another moments notice Anjyl gradually faded off into the shadows. But not before Neji and Tenten heard the remnants of her last words. " Just make sure you don't let the sixth out."

Paloma looked at the two remaining people who had already prepared to fight. She raised her arms as if surrendering. "I don't want to fight, I'll come with you to your whatever to talk with your whatever about whatever on whatever. Okay?"

"Uh…okay?"

"Lead the way then!" Paloma cheered up almost instantly.

Finished! By the way Neji and Tenten are seventeen. Okay people I need your help. I NEED TO THINK OF ANOTHER NAME! Like as in nick name-name not name-name. I mean there's Shafear, Shenvy, Shanger, Shadeath and Shapain. I NEED ONE FOR ANJYL! It has to be two syllables and the first one has to start with 'Sha' or 'She' if it's part of another word. And it has to be something appropriate and serious. Just send your suggestions with your review. Thanks! –Shadoom.


	17. I'll Have One XL Sweatdrop

… I'm nearing chapter twenty. If chapters could talk… **Story:** Boy am I getting old! …OMFG… I can just imagine that. Lol. Me and my pals are already planning for Anime North next year. My mom thought I was going to some costume party this year. LOL. XDXDXD! And oh yes: I DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to my dearly departed friend Hayley. ROCK ON NUMBER NINE!

Here to Stay Chapter Seventeen: I'll Have One XL Sweatdrop 

"It hasn't changed a bit since the last time I saw it!" Paloma jumped up happily as she ran around the shops and roads.

_I thought this would be a dangerous rogue ninja not an excited tourist… _

"Oh my god! SQUEAL! IT'S ICHIRAKU RAMEN! Ahhhhh… Taka! You still work here?" The girl glomped the store vender as Neji and Tenten muttering obscenities under their breath.

"Paloma?" Taka looked incredulously at the ecstatic teen. "I haven't seen you in ages! So how'd the mission go?"

_Mission?_ Neji and Tenten exchanged looks curiously.

"Not a scratch on me! I'll have my old order." Paloma took out a wallet and paid up.

XxXxX

"Okay Cynara tell me what happened. Now." Anjyl walked into the cavern with black fumes rolling off her aura. "Give me the straight and simple facts. I don't want to be entertained."

"Uh… Shadusk! You're back!" Cynara spun around to face her younger peer.

"Just tell me."

"Tell you what?" Cynara tilted her head slightly.

Cynara's gaunt form slammed against the cavern wall. "I want to know what's so dangerous that my ever precious freedom is cut off. I want to know who is going around leading those nin to us. Oh and… I want to know _what the hell is going on_."

Shenvy sat down as the pressure on her throat was relieved, her eyes full of worry. "Axel was on patrol and he got attacked by something. He says that it's Magnar Higeki but we can't be too sure. Paloma left shortly after Diego arrived. And about the thing with the nin coming to us… Are you sure you didn't do anything…_flashy_? I mean you do tend to stand out quite a bit with your skills."

"Nothing special. Anyways I value Axel's word above any of yours." Anjyl crouched down next to Axel. "How you feeling Shadeath? You okay?" Her gold eyes filled with faint worry.

It was more than obvious that she had a soft spot for him out of all of them.

"Doesn't both questions mean the same? Don't be nonsensical Anjyl. Nonsensical is a funny word…" Green eyes flickered open and Shadeath started to babble. "Am I rambling? Rambling's another amusing word."

"Did you give him alcohol Cynara? You know we don't do that…"

"Well we had to drug him and I couldn't find any sleeping pills…"

"Cynara, just answer the questi—" Anjyl growled when Axel suddenly burped and a huge flame streaked into her face. "On second thought…" She spat out a piece of charcoal. "You are _so_ not cute when you do that you know?

"Ha ha! You said 'you' three times! Ha ha!"

XxXxX

"NOOO—YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! SAVE ME! SOMEONE PLEASE!" Tenten and Neji dragged the hysterical woman across the streets that led toward the Hokage's office. Apparently Paloma had wanted to sightsee some more but… sigh… There's no stopping a determined kunoichi… "RAPE! RAPE! SOMEONE! PLEASE! PLEASE! YOU GOTTA HELP ME!"

SMALL SWEATDROP.

Tenten looked like she was close to pummeling the girl and was gritting her teeth as she heard the curious whispers and the prying eyes that surrounded them. Neji had a vein throbbing out of his forehead dangerously.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? JUST SHUT UP ALREADY! YOU WANNA SIGHTSEE? WELL FINE! You can sightsee here!" Tenten pushed her into the Hokage's office.

"OH MY GOD! THIS IS AWESOME! THERE'E EVEN THE FAMED VELVET CARPETING!" Paloma gave a high-pitched squeal.

MEDIUM SWEATDROP.

"The famed…?" Tenten looked at Neji warily.

" If there's a reasonable explanation for this…I don't want to know."

"Well, well, well. Lookee here… Paloma Kuragari… How long has it been?" Tsunade's voice rang out.

"Um… Do I know you?" Paloma looked at the gambler curiously. " OMG!!! ARE YOU A STALKER? …I mean if you're sitting in the hokage's chair then that would mean you're the hokage then… THEN YOU MEAN THE OLD CODGER'S DEAD?"

"Yes he's dead. I want to know everything." Tsunade rested her palms flat on her desk.

"…Wha?"

"THE MISSION YOU DOLT!!!"

LARGE SWEATDROP

"What if I refuse?" Her emerald eyes narrowed while keeping a smile on her face, making an odd combination.

"As Hokage of this village I order you to tell me."

Paloma gave a sharp laugh. "If I was Anjyl you'd have so much more trouble. But it doesn't matter. I may have been born and trained in the fire country but my skill lies with the water. My blood is wanted in both but my loyalties lie with no one. So I ask again. What if I refuse?"

"If you don't tell me I will of course have to tell you something. I know where Gabriel is." Tsunade's brown eyes glinted maliciously.

"What? Where are you holding Shadawn?"

"Tell me what I want to know first."

"…All I wanted to do was to see the plush carpeting this place has!!!" Believe me. Seeing a seventeen year old woman start wailing like that is no pretty thing.

"That all seven of you have demon implanted within. You in fact have the six tailed sea jackal Yaban na Hasami, or otherwise known as Savage Claw. You are referred as Shanger for your unpredictable bursts of emotion making you as unruly as the river. You probably came here with higher intentions then to see my wall-to-wall carpeting. Which I do admit… is simply lovely if I do say so myself…"

EXTRA LARGE SWEATDROP

"So you know more than we expected. So? Not like I should care. That can be easily remedied." She waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh and don't even think about torture. If you forgot I still _am_ a ninja of this village no matter what rumors surround me." She glanced out the window. "… I could… I would tell you everything but... Seeing as you are quite the _bargaining_ type…"

"What do you want? A dog? Chocolates? Food? Money? Strippers?"

EXTREMELY LARGE MEGA SWEATDROP

"… You really have no shame do you?"

Meanwhile in Some Random Cavern 

"Burp burp burpity burp burp!"

"Diego! You know what Cynara said about that!"

"I know Cynara said _not_ to make smores but… BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!!! Look at the open flame that comes out of Axel's mouth every time he belches… It's perfect for the sweet chocolaty goodness of a smore!"

"You're going to get fat Diego and you know it."

"Shut up Shuuhei! After all you're the gum-chewer!"

"I'll have you know that gum helps people remember things. And anyways… You're the short one."

"YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE YOU PURPLE GIRAFFE?"

"Purple… giraffe?

XXxxXXxxXX

Sorry I haven't updated until like FOREVER. It must seem as if I was digging my grave or something. I was so BORED and I had this SEVERE case of writers block. And then my Microsoft Word started acting funny. The menu bar disappeared. I CAN'T FIND IT. So yeah. Well if you'll excuse the lateness and the rushed version of chapter seventeen than yeah. – Shadoom


End file.
